The Fused Shadow
by BEASTMASTERTOAD
Summary: The story is based off of the Fused Shadow from the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and its origins according to me. It also deals with other situations that have been mysterious in origin with the LoZ series. It takes place 50 years before OoT.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

~~~Din, Farore, Nayru. Three goddesses in the beginning went forth to create a land for their chosen people. Din carved the earth from shadow and brought form to it. Nayru cultivated the earth and brought order from chaos. Farore brought life to the world. After they had finished, they left this world, leaving behind the essence of their power, the Triforce.

It is said that the goddesses chose the bloodline of the Hero and the bloodline of the Royal Family to seal the Triforce within. Only by the rite of their bloodshed can the Triforce be found. Knowing this, an ambitious sorcerer took captive the Princess of Hyrule. He attempted to take the power of the goddesses by the shedding of her blood. Using the Blessed Sword, the Hero arose to destroy the sorcerer. In honor of the weapon the Hero used, the people of Hyrule built a Temple to keep safe the blade for the Hero or the future...

Squinting, Link could see nothing but darkness. Slowly, the scenery of a chapel appeared into existence. Link looked around, bewildered at where he was. There was a towering stained-glass window with a design depicting the images of the three goddesses cradling the Triforce. The Triforce's light shone in the darkness below it. The light revealed the Hero's Sword, the Master Sword. Looking around, he saw that he was in a temple. The very center of the clearing held a pedestal with a silver blade stuck in it. A set of steps led to the sword. Link began walking slowly to the center of the room. He stopped in front of the pedestal. He noticed the symbol of the Triforce engraved on the blade. Link grabbed the handle and pulled it from its place, almost instantly. When he looked at his reflection on the blade, he saw a darkened image of himself. It appeared that he was wearing a green cap and hat that he had never seen before.

Suddenly, Link heard the sound of footsteps. He turned to see three shadow figures approaching him. All of them had horns of a beast, and wide, all-seeing, eyes. The one on the right raised its hand and shot a black ball of energy from its hand. Link dodged to the side. The ball dissipated on the wall. The figure in the middle quickly approached Link and used its mighty claws to slash Link. Link blocked the blow with his sword and deflected its claws, then slashed the creature. It stumbled away from Link, holding its wound. Just the, one of the others appeared behind Link and hit him with a force that sent Link flying to the other end of the room. He lost his sword where he was hit. The figure that hit him picked up the sword. It suddenly dropped it clutching its hand. Link felt himself lift from the floor and then he was thrown in place above the pedestal. The sword lifted in the air also and pointed at him. The sword zoomed at Link, piercing his heart. A light flashed, and then, all was dark.


	2. Chapter 1: Link's Awakening

**Chapter 1: Link's Awakening**

~~~"Ahhh!"

Link immediately rose out of his bed, wide-eyed and alarmed. He had broken into a cold sweat.

_"Was that a dream?"_

Link touched his left chest, expecting an empty hole. There wasn't one. He got out of his bed at the sound of a door knock. He opened the door to see an elderly woman, wearing a gray robe.

"Are you okay in there? You screamed loud enough to wake a ReDead!" she proclaimed.

"…Yes, I'm okay. I just…had a bad dream, that's all," he said.

"Okay then, have a good morning," she concluded, walking down the hall.

The woman was the landlady of the housing that Link lived in. Link closed the door and walked over to the window, yawning along the way. He pulled back the curtain to see a bustling street below, filled with people of all kinds, from Hylians, to Gorons, to Zoras. Scores of other buildings and street stalls could be seen throughout the town. From a distance, Hyrule Castle could be seen being illuminated by the morning sun.

Link walked to a drawer and got dressed in his clothes, which was a black tunic, pants that cuffed at his shins, a long sleeved, collared gray shirt under his tunic, and a small black cap.

When Link walked out of the building into the street, he caught a glimpse of the Temple of Time, with its steeple rising above the town. Link remembered his dream. He shook his head and walked down the street. Link navigated through Castle Town, the capital of Hyrule. He was on his way to the local tavern, Telme's Bar. He made it to the bar, nestled in an alleyway, south of the town center. The bar was filled with people of all types, mainly the Castle Guard, the guardians of the town and the castle. Link walked over to a board with different post nailed to it. Each post had a description of a certain job that people were hiring for. Some of them read things like:

"Help wanted! A body guard for transporting goods!"

"Join the Castle Guard! Sign up at the recruitment station! Anyone is qualified!"

"Recruiting strong minds and swords. Join the search for the Triforce!"

Link perked up at this post.

_"This shouldn't be here. It's forbidden to search for the Triforce."_

Link jumped when he felt a hand touch his shoulder.

"I see that you are interested in our mission," said the cloaked man who touched his shoulder.

His face could not be seen, for his hood concealed it.

"I'm not interested in anything," Link said, pretending to look uninterested.

"Your words betray your heart. You want to see our plight," he stated, smirking.

"You don't know anything. Any way, what you are trying to accomplish is ridiculous. It's forbidden to-."

"According to who?"

The man's statement was bold, but it was true. There was no law or decree stating that it was forbidden to seek the Triforce.

"Even if I did join, what would I have to do?" Link asked, still pretending to look indifferent.

"Every adventure has its dangers. It's only natural that we acquire some worthy warriors to protect us."

"Who is 'us'?" Link asked, frowning at him.

"My research group of course," he said, not shaken by the question.

"So, will you join us?" the man persisted.

"I'll need some time to think about it," Link said, putting his hand to his forehead.

"We will reward you well if you do. Please consider carefully," he concluded, then disappeared through the crowd, befitting of his enigmatic appearance.

Link attempted to walk out the door when he heard a voice shout his name. He turned to see a man, in Castle Guard attire, waving at him. Link smirked and walked to his table.

"Hey Link! Long time, no see!" he said with a beaming face.

"Hey, Viscen. What brings you here?" Link asked, taking a seat.

"I always come here! You just never pay attention," he said, taking up a half-angry tone.

"How's the mercenary business going?" he asked.

"I've made a decent living. It's a little more care-free than being bound to a post where nothing happens."

Viscen cleared his throat and the put his elbows on the table, resting his chin on his hands.

"Are you planning on taking up that mission?" Viscen said, on a serious note.

"Yeah, I'm considering it…" Link said, taking a similar posture to Viscen.

"While it's technically legal, it's still an unwritten rule you should heed. Make sure you watch yourself."

"Don't worry, I will," Link concluded.

"Well," Viscen said, standing up, "I've got to go do my job. See you later."

Viscen walked away.


	3. Chapter 2: Whispered

**Chapter 2: Whispered**

~~~Link closed the door behind him and sat his bag on the table in the middle of his one-room apartment. The curtains were still pulled back, showing the scene of Castle Town winding down at the sign of the twilit sky. Link pulled from his bag, a piece of paper. It was a copy of the advertisement from the bar:

"Recruiting strong minds and strong swords. Join the search for the Triforce!"

* * *

Earlier that day…

Link returned from the alleyway to the crowded streets. He began walking east, to the Temple of Time. In his mind, he knew it was a dream, but all the same, it was very ominous and vivid to be just a dream. He was going there for assurance, to ease his own conscience.

He finally made it to the yard of the Temple of Time. Perfectly aligned trees led the way to the steps to the Temple of Time. On both sides of the path, two reflection pools lied, showing an image of the calm sky of the morning. Link made it to the steps of the Temple of Time. After forcing open the door, he saw the interior of the Temple of Time. It was modeled in stone, and checkerboard-style tiles with a stone brick path that led to an altar. Many chapel-style windows lined the walls and were pure white glass. The ceiling rose high. Steps on both sides of the altar led to a giant stone door. The design showed the Triforce, inscribed in a circle that shone rays of light.

Link approached the altar slowly. Link had been here before, but never before had it felt so foreboding to be within its sacred walls. Link read the engraving on the altar.

"The Blessing of the Forest. The Power of the Mountain. The Grace of the River. The Messenger of Time. Shall these things bring forth the Chosen Hero."

Below the words were three hallowed slots.

_"This is a waste of time…"_

Link turned to walk away when he heard a whisper in his ear.

**_"Shy not away from your destiny. Seek the Princess of Hyrule."_**

"Who said that?!" Link yelled, turning around.

No one was there except for him. Link looked around the altar. He almost expected to hear the voice again, but he heard no one.

After Link left the Temple, he roamed the town, doing some shopping for food. As he passed through the Town Center, he noticed a man, with a cloak and hood, following him. Link walked in a larger stride, attempting to out run him. The man kept pace still. Link weaved through the crowd, quickening his pace to lose his pursuer, but to no avail. Link suddenly turned a corner into an alleyway, and then hid behind a stack of boxes. He held his breath, expecting to hear footsteps. He was waiting to surprise him.

"You're terrible at hiding."

Link flinched upon hearing that voice. He came from his hiding spot to see the cloaked man standing in front of him.

"Why were you following me?!" Link yelled.

"How can you yell at someone as if you know him?" he said.

Link further examined him to see that his cloak was of a different design.

"Who are you then?" Link asked.

"If you think that I am in league with the man you met earlier today, than you're right," he replied.

"So…"

"So what?"

"So you still haven't explained why you were following me," Link said, growing frustrated.

"I followed you because I need to observe you. For the mission, we need the best. We need to see how alert you are, even in a peaceful environment."

"Okay then, just don't follow me again like that," Link said, feeling somewhat relieved.

Link turned to walk away to the street.

"I feel it…"

Link stopped walking.

"Feel…what?" Link hesitantly asked, bothered by the statement.

"I feel the doubt in your heart. You desire to know your destiny."

Link turned to face the man.

"What are you talking about? You can't read my mind!"

"I don't have to. It's written all over you. I just want you to know that if you join us, you will know your destiny," said the man.

In the blink of an eye, the cloaked man vanished from sight.

* * *

"Recruiting strong minds and strong swords. Join the search for the Triforce!"

_'You desire to know your destiny.'_

"It's just a ploy to get me to join," Link thought, trying to relieve himself.

Link then remembered the whisper.

_'Shy not away from your destiny. Seek the Princess of Hyrule.'_

Link dressed into his pajamas and went to bed.


	4. Chapter 3: Princess of Hyrule

**Chapter 3: Princess of Hyrule**

~~~The sky was twilit, but with an otherworldly glow. The land was barren, with chunks of land floating in air. A large hill led up to a cliff at its peak. The Triforce was shinning atop the peak. Link, upon witnessing that sight, ran to it, unable to shake his sudden lust for the Triforce. The ground began shaking violently as a strange, silhouetted beast rose from the void. It was of gigantic proportions. On its head were the horns of a beast, and wide, glowing, eyes. Link stopped in his tracks, and began backing away. The creature's hands fell upon Link instantly…

* * *

"AHHH!!!"

The silence of the room was interrupted by Link's shriek. Link wiped the sweat from his head, and got up. Link had not closed the curtains last night, so dawn's light shone in. The door rattled as someone banged on it. Link ran to the door and opened it.

"This is the second time you've yelled in a day! Are you okay son?" the landlady said, folding her arms.

"Sorry. It was just another bad dream," Link said rubbing the back of his head while smiling.

"Maybe you should pay a visit to the fountain and think about things. It always helps me. Well, have a good day," she said, and then walked away.

Link decided that he was going to see Princess Zelda, as the whisper commanded. No commoner, of course, could just request a meeting with her, but through Viscen, one of the high-ranking soldiers, he could probably get to her. After all, it was his destiny.

When Link got to Telme's bar, he saw Viscen in the same place he was yesterday. He was occupied with his drink. Link sat in the chair across from him.

"Oh, hey Link!" Viscen said, looking up to see him.

"Hey, Viscen. I got a question for you."

"Well, what is it? It must be important if you asked right away."

"I need to get a meeting with the Princess."

"What?! Do you realize that what you are asking is ridiculous?"

"I know it seems crazy, and I don't really understand, but something told me that I should see her about this mission I might take."

Link didn't want Viscen to know that something really did tell him this.

"Well, for me to even suggest a thing like that, I need a reason," Viscen said.

"Hmm… Tell her that it's about the Triforce ad."

"You sure you're not just trying to get some alone time with the Princess?" Viscen said, narrowing his gaze at Link.

"N-No! It's not like that… It's…complicated."

"Whoa, your planning marriage and you never even seen her?!"

"No way, you pervert! This is serious business," Link said, frowning, but blushing slightly.

"I'm just messing with you, but I'll go send the word now."

They both got up from their chairs.

"I'll be at the fountain at the Town Center," Link concluded.

The Town Center was as alive as usual, crowded with residents, tourist, those on business, and the Castle Guards patrolling the town. Link sat on a bench, near the fountain. His gaze was fixed on the Crest of Hyrule, atop the steeple of the Temple of Time.

_'If you join us, you will know your destiny.'_

_'Shy not away from your destiny.'_

Link began wondering if it really is destiny. In two nights in a row, he had had dreams about shadow creatures with horns of a beast and wide eyes. In both, or at least one, he had been killed. Link also remembered a legend saying that the Hylian's ears are capable of hearing the gods.

_"What if that whisper was…?" _

"Hey Link!"

Link looked up to see Viscen yelling to him. Link ran to see him.

"So, what happened?" Link asked.

"I don't know why but she's agreed to seeing you. Hurry!"

They ran to the north gate. Surely destiny is involved. Viscen stopped to salute the already saluting guards at the north gate. The guards then open pushed open the gate.  
Behind it, lied Hyrule Castle Bridge. It had been half a year since Link had been behind those doors, not since he himself was a Castle Guard.

Four on-duty guards pulled open the gate to Hyrule Castle upon seeing them. The Castle Yard was immense and magnificent, with perfectly coordinated rows of flowers, trees of all kinds, and a statue that depicted the Crest of Hyrule rising above. The Castle itself shone brilliantly as the light of noon graced it. Another guard accompanied Viscen as they made their way to the castle. Once inside, two more guards, as they made their way through the Entrance Hall, joined Link and company. The guards were watching Link as protocol, both because he was a guest of honor, and because he was a commoner.

After a few minutes, they made it to a spiral of stairs of what seemed to be a tower. At the end of the stairs, was the entrance to the private quarters of Princess Zelda. She was standing at the doorway, along with two other guards. Inside the room, stood a tall, muscular woman with white braided hair and red eyes. She wore chain mail over a short-sleeved white and blue full-body suit bearing the Sheikah emblem, sliver armor for her torso and shoulders, and brown leather boots. She also had a Kodachi (a short Japanese sword) on her back.

"Welcome, Link," said the Princess.

"H-Hello, Your Highness!" Link said, surprised that she knew his name.

"Leave us to be guards," she said with a nod of her head.

The guards started down the stairs. Link followed the princess into the room. The doors shut behind them.

The room was modestly furnished, a canopy bed stood by the wall on the left corner. A fireplace, unlit, was to the right of the room. A wide window, showing a grand view of Hyrule and Death Mountain lay at length. Two chairs were placed in the middle of the room, one of the warrior woman stood by.

"Please, have a seat," Princess Zelda said, signaling to one of the chairs.

Link took heed, sitting in the chair. Zelda followed suit.

"Before we begin, I would have you know my caretaker, Impa. She will stay with us here," said Princess Zelda.

Impa nodded her head to Link. Link did likewise. He found that her gaze pierced his soul.

Turning away form the glare, Link said, "I…have something I think I must tell you. It may sound crazy, but-."

"You heard a whisper?" she finished.

Link was surprised yet again. First she knew his name, now she knows about the whisper, something he had not told anyone.

"Yes, but how did you know?"

"I also heard one. It told me that you were coming."

"So that's why you let me in?" he asked.

"Yes. I was also told that you had concerns about an advertisement for a 'Triforce hunt'?" she said.

"Well, that was an excuse to get in, but after some thought, I'm actually worried about it."

Link leaned forward, Zelda looked interested in what he was about to say.

"Through the last two nights, I've had dreams that had a darkly creature with horns of a beast and wide eyes. The first dream, I was in what I think was the Temple of Time. The Master Sword was in that place."

Link told her about his dreams. She closed her eyes, thinking deeply, but still managing to keep her posture. Impa had not budged, though she was also in deep thought. Zelda opened her eyes.

"It doesn't sound like a normal dream. It's likely a premonition."

"You mean I might get killed?"

"No. Premonitions usually aren't literal, but it might have a hidden meaning," she said.

"I'm also thinking that the people behind the Triforce hunt might be suspicious," Link stated.

"They don't reveal their faces, and they seem to be able to read minds."

Zelda closed her eyes once more.

"Link," She said.

"Yes?"

"I have a plan. It requires your cooperation to make it work, but it's the only way to make sure they're not up to something."


	5. Chapter 4: Embracing Destiny

**Chapter 4: Embracing Destiny**

~~~After Link met with Zelda, he decided to find the men in cloaks and take them up on their offer. Link opened the door in the alleyway to Telme's Bar. It wasn't hard to find the cloaked man he first met in the corner of the bar. The man appeared to notice Link.

"Have you made a decision?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'll join up," Link said.

The man's lips formed a smirk.

"The pay is 200,000 rupees if you help us with our mission, whether we succeed or fail," he stated.

"What time do you plan to leave?" Link asked.

"Tomorrow, in the morning. We will be headed for the Lost Woods, south of here," he added.

"Will there be any others?" Link asked.

"Yes. Three others and whomever else we deem fit. Any other questions?"

"No, that's it."

Link walked away, expecting to be stopped by some ominous remark from him, but the man said nothing.

* * *

Link rose from his bed at the sound of the cuckoo. He felt relieved, yet disturbed that he hadn't had another dream. Link had on his table, a slightly worn double-edged sword along with its sheath, chain mail, leather boots, gauntlets, and a shield. This was the day that their journey began.

After Link informed the landlady that he was going on a job, he made his way to the southern gate of Castle Town. When he made it there, two caravans were set up, with two horses on each of them. Three people were packing the caravans. One was a man with a black and grey beard and thick yellow and white clothes. He had an item strapped to his back that was wrapped in cloth, concealing it. The other two were a Goron and a Zora. The Goron was very muscular and tall, with white hair and a purple pearl necklace. He wore a cloth to cover himself. The Zora had fins on his arms that reflected light as brightly as a sword would. Link walked up to the caravan and the group took notice.

"Are you part of this group?" asked the man.

"Yes I am."

The man extended his hand to Link. Link shook his hand. "I'm Auru," he said, grinning.

The Goron looked toward them. "My name is Darmani. Nice to meet you, goro!" he said.

The Zora followed suit. "And I'm Mikau," he stated.

Link noticed that Auru's gaze was fixed on something behind him. Link turned around.

A young woman was walking their way, dressed in a full body suit, similar to the one worn by the Sheikah, Impa, and Sheikah-style chain mail covering her torso. She had a Kodachi at her side and wore a brown cloak, kept from draping over her arms by her shoulder armor. Her hair was blonde, and in a ponytail. She stopped in front of them.

"My name is Sheik. I'm here for the research mission," she plainly stated.

Link and the group glanced at each other.

"Are you a new recruit?" Auru asked.

"Yes," she nodded.

Auru cleared his throat. "You can help us pack the caravans then. We are leaving soon," he said.

Link stepped forward. "My name is Link," he said, nervously.

"Oh, how rude of us, my name is Auru."

"I'm Mikau."

"And I'm Darmani."

After they had finished packing, they sat on the ground near the caravans to rest. The sun was visible to the east.

"Well, since we haven't introduced ourselves, other than by name, I guess we can do this now," Auru said. "I live in Castle Town, and I'm around forty years old. I'm a mercenary for a living and have been for over ten years. My reason for joining is out of curiosity and to learn more about the Triforce." Auru let out a sigh.

Darmani stood up. "As you can see, I'm a Goron from Death Mountain, goro. I'm staying in Castle Town currently for business selling Goron products. My reason for joining is that I haven't gotten any shipments lately, so I'm looking for other work, goro."

"I'm a Zora, from Zora's domain. I'm just a wanderer, so I don't have a home. My reason for joining is to see more places than I have," Mikau explained.

Link leaned forward, resting his arm on knee. "I live in Castle Town as well. I've lived in Castle Town for a while, so I guess it could be considered my home. I work as a mercenary, but I was part of the Castle Guard at one time. My reason for joining is for adventure." He didn't want them to know the real reason why he joined.

Sheik, who was already standing, prepared to speak. "I'm a Sheikah, from Kakariko Village. I also work as a mercenary. My reason for joining is a personal matter."

The group looked with interest at her last statement.

"Good! Now that we know each other, we can be better able to work with-."

Darmani stopped short of his sentence to look toward the gate. Three cloaked figures made advent to them. Apparently, there were more than two of them. The trio stopped before them.

"I see our latest member has arrived," the center one said.

Sheik glared at him.

"We are prepared to depart as of now," the left man said.

"So…which caravan do we ride in?" Link asked.

"The left one. We will ride in our own. Is that…fine with you?"

Link nodded, hesitantly.


	6. Chapter 5: Hyrule Field

**Chapter 5: Hyrule Field**

~~~The two horses of the caravan ran at full speed through the meadows of Hyrule. It was nearly noon. Auru guided the horses with Mikau at his side. Link, Sheik, and Darmani were inside the caravan. The other caravan led the way. The driver was not visible. Link sat on the bench lining the walls of the caravan. Sheik sat with her eyes closed, and Darmani was curled up, sleeping on the floor. Sheik was not asleep, but appeared to be keeping a calm countenance. Link looked up at her.

"Sheik."

Sheik's eyes opened at his call. She looked up at him. "Hello, Link," she said.

Link was surprised by the softness in her voice, completely contrast to the frank and cold tone she had earlier. Puzzled, he said, "Let's talk about something. It's been pretty tense in here."

Sheik sat up. She glanced at the sleeping Darmani, then at Link. "I have to tell you something."

Once again, Link was surprised.

"I am Zelda."

Link was further shocked at this revelation. It hadn't been included in their plan…

* * *

The day before…

"I have a plan. It requires your cooperation to make it work, but it's the only way to make sure that they're not up to something."

Zelda stood from her chair and began walking to the window of her room. She paused in front of the view.

"I'm going to send a spy along with you to watch their activities. If you happen to notice, or see him, pretend that you didn't."

"Will I know who it is?" Link asked.

"No. He will be a Sheikah though, as they are the best at spying and going covert."

* * *

Zelda met Link's dumbfounded eyes.

"We lost contact with the spy that we sent, so there was a change in plans," she explained.

"So you're the spy now?" Link asked.

"Yes. It was the only other way."

"What about Impa?"

"She has other duties to attend to around the Castle."

"Do you know how to fight?"

"Yes, Impa taught me her fighting style. Are you worried about me?" she asked.

"Well-It's just that you are the Princess."

"Don't worry about me. I'm capable of taking care of myself."

"And by the way," she added, "Don't call my by my real name. Call me Shiek."

Darmani began snoring loudly.

As they rode, Link and Zelda noticed that the caravan began swerving. Link moved to the front of the caravan and peered out. Boars being ridden by Bulblins, impish green-skinned creatures were moving in on them.

"Link, stay inside! We're being attacked!" Auru yelled.

Mikau was attempting to strike down their adversaries using the fins from his arms, which were being used like boomerangs. Link got back inside.

"What is happening?" Zelda asked.

"We're being attacked!"

Zelda stood and moved to the front.

"Zel-Sheik! What are you doing?"

"I'm going on top to fight."

With that, she went out. Darmani remained asleep in the fetal position. Link went to the back and opened the door. A Bulblin had a bow drawn back with a fiery arrow. A fire on the caravan would end their journey before it even began. Link unsheathed his sword and leaped out of the caravan toward the Bulblin. The surprised Bulblin dropped the arrow from the bow. Link's sword hit the Bulblin with so much force that it flew from its mount. Link managed to land on the mount of the boar, and shifted into position. He caught a glimpse of Zelda on top of the caravan, throwing needles at various Bulblins that attempted to attack. Link looked to the second caravan. It was surprisingly uncontested; not even a single Bulblin was on its trail.

Link steered the boar to the left of the caravan, where most of the Bulblins were concentrated. A Bulblin in front of Link fell from its steed after taking a needle from Zelda to the neck. The boar that was abandoned ran off course. Link sped to the fray of Bulblins and began furiously attacking each one with his sword. Mikau continued to provide support with his fin boomerangs. Suddenly, a roar from behind them was heard. A boulder, about the size of Darmani, was speeding violently toward the fray. Flames began to engulf it as it came near. Link moved from its path as it began blasting boars and Bulblins from its path. Up ahead, Link saw, on the horizon, an enormous forest. As they drew near, a line of Bulblins on boars were coming into view. Ahead of the pack was a significantly larger Bulblin atop a boar that was equally as large. The caravan began to slow down, possibly to avoid the oncoming army. The smoldering boulder began its course toward the crowd. Link, likewise, sped to do battle with them.

The Bulblin that led the pack had an exceptionally long spear that it held upright. Link set his path toward the leader. The flaming mass of rock kept its course toward the rest of the crowd. As he drew nearer to the Bulblin, Link raised his sword, preparing to attack. The Bulblin pointed its spear at Link. With a swing of Link's sword, the clash of steel was made. Link slowed his boar to a stop, and then turned it around. The Bulblin continued forward, however, setting out for the caravan rather than Link. The fiery boulder suddenly leaped from its path and struck the Bulblin, demounting it. Link turned around and saw that the crowd of Bulblins was upon him Link raised his sword to defend himself from the coming attack. As the Bulblins prepared to run Link down, every one of them suddenly fell of their boars. Link caught a glimpse of a needle in the neck of one of them. Zelda had struck down all of them. The boars, however, continued their way. Link leaped off of the boar he was on and out of the way of harm. The boar was not so fortunate, for the dozens of other boars trampled it.

Link recovered and ran at full speed toward the Bulblin that was near the caravan. The fiery boulder stopped flaming and took the form of Darmani. The fallen Bulblin stood from the ground and picked up its spear. Link reached the Bulblin and swung his sword at it. The Bulblin blocked the blow with its spear and pushed Link back. Link leaped out of the Bulblin's range and grabbed the shield from his back. Link, once again, ran at it and bore his shield at the Bulblin. The Bulblin stumbled back and Link slashed it twice with his sword. The Bulblin swung his spear and hit Link, knocking him off of his feet, and then it proceeded to stab Link while he was on the ground. Link rolled to the side, dodging the point of the spear. Link got to his feet and stabbed the creature in its belly. The Bulblin ceased movement, with its eyes growing dark. Its body slumped, and then fell to the ground. Link kneeled down and sighed.

"Goro! Your skills are great!" exclaimed Darmani.

Link noticed that the other caravan, with the cloaked figures, was beside theirs. Link sat up and walked back to the caravans. One of the cloaked figures proceeded from the caravan. Link stopped in front of him.

"You're very dexterous with the sword, Link," he said.

"I have a question," Link said.

The man smirked.

"Yes?"

"I noticed that your caravan wasn't being attacked. Why is that?"

The man grabbed the Bulblin's spear and launched it at his caravan. An unknown force repelled the attack.

"That's why," he answered.

Link was somewhat surprised, though he had now come to expect as such from them. The cloaked figure looked ahead at the towering edge of the forest.

"Ahead lays the Lost Woods. That's where our first objective is."

Link felt a slight unease come over him as he peered into the forest.

"Follow us closely as we enter the forest."


	7. Chapter 6: The Lost Woods, Part I

**Part I: The Hero's Legacy**

**Chapter 6: The Lost Woods, Part I**

~~~The caravans slowed to a stop at the edge of the forest. Auru and Mikau stepped off of the caravan. Zelda, Darmani, and Link exited also. The trio of enigmatic figures was already out of caravan. "We must continue on foot from here. The forest is too dense to traverse by caravan," the one in the middle said.

"How will our caravans be guarded?" asked Auru.

"We have cast a magic barrier around the caravans. Nothing will intrude."

Auru narrowed his eyes at him.

"Follow us. Stay as close as you can."

Little, if any, light reached the floor of the forest. The trees seemed to bend and the air was humid and stagnant.

"It strange…" Zelda murmured.

"What is?" asked Link.

"There isn't an animal in sight," she said.

Auru scanned the area. "She's right. Something strange has happened here," said Auru.

"How can you tell?" asked Mikau.

"I've been here before on research, and I've seen that this place is usually full of life," he explained.

"Don't get far apart. There is fog ahead," said one of the cloaked men.

Ahead was fog, thick enough to blot out light. The leading man stopped short of the wall of fog. Suddenly, a piercing purple light cut through the fog. The leader turned to them. He held in his left hand, a purple light. "This will dissipate the fog in our area, but it doesn't mean that you can separate. Stay close if you don't want to be lost."

They walked cautiously through the fog. The fog was deep, and gave a sense of vertigo. As Link walked, he felt wind brushing his face.

"Keep your guard up!" yelled Auru.

Link remembered how still the air was prior to this. The gale became stronger, then stronger still. The fog began to rotate through them. The purple light was no longer visible. Zelda reached for Link's hand and grabbed it. The fog mingled with wind became so powerful, that Link could no longer see Zelda. The fog eventually disappeared, revealing Zelda, and a clearing with light shining down.

"Are you okay?" Link asked.

"Yes."

They released each other's hands. Link took note that no one else was present. They had somehow been separated. Zelda seemed to be focused on something. "Do you hear that?" she asked.

"Hear what?"

"Follow me!"

Zelda moved through the trees toward the clearing. Link followed her. They reached the clearing to see a large stump. There was a floating flute that played music from it. The song almost had a hypnotic effect to it. The flute bobbed up and down as it continued to make music. A figure began to appear into view as Link and Zelda came closer. It was an impish creature that wore an orange cap, orange clothes, and orange shoes. Its outfit was weathered. It face had no features to it, but glowing red eyes and a mouth.

"I've heard of these creatures before. They are Skull kids. This is what happens to those who get lost in the woods," Zelda whispered.

Zelda walked to a patch of grass and picked a blade of grass from it. She put it to her mouth and blew. A similar tune to the one the Skull Kid played emitted from it. Link looked in wonder at the duet. The forest seemed to respond to this concert. Fireflies began to show their light and some of the outlying fog lifted. After awhile, the Skull Kid stopped playing. "Heh… Heh heh… Heh heh hee hee hee!" the creature laughed.

Link felt a chill upon hearing its shrill laugh.

"You play well. I had fun. Follow me!" The Skull Kid jumped from its platform and ran off at an easy pace.

"Come on!" Zelda commanded.

Link followed her and the Skull. The Skull Kid led them into the thick of the woods. Link noticed that the light that surrounded the area was dimming, as well as the presence of the fireflies. As the came near the fog, the Skull Kid lit a lantern and continued.

A silhouette appeared in the distance as they moved forward. The Skull Kid hesitated, and then continued on. Then three more shadows appeared. The Skull Kid let out a high-pitched screech, and then ducked in fear.

"Something's ahead. Get ready," said Link. He drew his sword and shield, while Zelda drew her Kodachi. The fog around them suddenly dispersed, revealing the figures. Four ReDeads, animated corpses, were stumbling toward them. One of them let out a piercing shriek. Zelda then began quivering. The Skull Kid ran behind a tree and hid.

"Shiek, What's wrong?!" Link asked.

"I…c-can't…move!" she uttered.

Link turned to the ReDeads and ran at them. Link slashed the nearest one. It stumbled back, but in an unnatural manner. Link caught a glimpse of its eyes. They were red and darkly, like an abyss. Those eyes flashed brightly into Link's eyes. Suddenly, he felt an oppressive presence come upon him that did not allow him to move his body. The ReDead that paralyzed him jumped on Link's back and bit into his shoulder. Link yelled in anguish as he struggled to break free. Zelda suddenly leaped over them and slashed in half, the ReDead's face. Link got free and jumped out of their range.

"Don't look into its eyes! They can paralyze you!" Zelda yelled.

Zelda quickly came upon another ReDead and stabbed its back. It moaned, but was seemingly unfazed. The ReDead with the wounded face moved toward Link. Link felt an uncanny fear like no other just by hearing their tormented, hungry moans. Link raised his shield to block the ReDead's face from his line of sight. Link ran head on to it and hit the ReDead's face with his shield, and then cut its body in half. The other three ReDeads turned around. Link raised his shield and leaped back. The ReDeads no longer moaned. They knelt before the fallen ReDead and began eating its remains. Neither Zelda nor Link expected this. Link approached the ReDead nearest him and stabbed its head. It fell to the ground. In a similar manner, Link also struck down the remaining ReDead. The Skull Kid came out of hiding.

"Link, are you okay?" Zelda said, looking at his shoulder.

Link grabbed it. "Yeah, it was mostly absorbed by the chain mail, so it's nothing serious…"


	8. Chapter 7: The Lost Woods, Part II

**Chapter 7: The Lost Woods, part II**

~~~As the fog cleared, Auru once again could see Mikau and Darmani. They had been separated from the rest of the group. They were standing outside of what appeared to be the ruins of a gate.

"What happened to the others?" asked Mikau.

"The Lost Woods effect…" Auru muttered.

"Goro?"

"The Lost Woods effect. It's when one is under the impression that he is staying still, or walking the right path, when he is actually moving somewhere else. That's what I believe just happened," explained Auru.

Mikau stepped toward the gate. "This place is old," he stated.

"Let's go!" Auru commanded as he led them past the gate.

Inside the once fortified gate, was a courtyard, fallen in extreme disrepair. A statue of the Triforce was the center focus of the courtyard. While it was intact, it was very weathered. A few overgrown trees also plagued the courtyard, as well as the walls. At the northern end of the courtyard, lay an exceptionally large building, as big as the Temple of Time.

"Our main concern is getting back with the group. Let's find a way out," said Auru.

They started down a paved path that cut through the middle of the courtyard. The area was eerier than it was being in the fog. In addition to the fact that there wasn't any living thing around, there seemed to be an oppressive darkness about the ruins that gave the impression that the dead walked among them. Near the ground, a thin layer of fog was covering their feet. Auru stopped, and raised his right hand to halt the others.

"Something's coming," he stated.

Off to the left of them, the ground bulged, and then crumbled, as an anthropoid wolf-like creature surfaced. It had blue and gray fur, a muscular body, large claws, demented eyes, and a wide, hungry mouth.

"Stand back, goro!" Darmani approached the creature and swung his mighty fist. As his fist flew through the air, it became engulfed in flames. The wolf was hit, and flew a great distance from them. Around them, in three other areas, the earth relinquished more of the wolves.

"Be careful of the Wolfos! They are quick!" yelled Auru.

Mikau's arm fins grew large and as sharp as a sword. He closed the distance between him and the nearest Wolfos and attacked. The Wolfos performed a back flip, evading the attack. The Wolfos that faced Auru attacked him with a swipe of its claw. Auru, with his right hand, stopped the attack, and with his left hand, hit the Wolfos' chest, using his palm. The creature stumbled back, howling as if in pain.

Darmani curled into a ball, similar to what he did when he was sleeping in the caravan, and let the Wolfos that he faced get to him. As it prepared to attack, Darmani leaped into the air, still curled up, and brought himself down upon his foe with enough force to crush it. It exploded in flames.

Mikau made another attempt at the creature's life, but it blocked him, with the swift motion of its paws. Mikau circled around the beast as the beast did the same to him. Then, the Wolfos swung at Mikau, but Mika's attack landed first. The Wolfos retreated away from Mikau, bearing a grievous wound. Mikau attacked again, killing the creature.

Auru ran at the Wolfos, and threw a punch at it. The Wolfos was knocked to the ground, whimpering. Auru unsheathed a knife from his side and stabbed the Wolfos, causing it to burst into flames.

"Hmp, that was easy…" Mikau mumbled.

"I didn't even break a sweat, goro!" Darmani shouted.

"Stay quite. We must keep moving," urged Auru.

They continued down the path, moving faster than before. Despite the likely presence of Wolfos and other such creatures, Auru still did not sense any life nearby. They made it to the steps of the building when Auru stopped them again. "There is way out over there. It's best not to dwell here longer than we must." he said, signaling toward a breach in the wall to their left

"But, how do you know that is the right way?" asked Mikau.

"If you've noticed, all large structures in Hyrule face the direction of Castle Town. Since we are directly south of Castle Town, going left would send us east, then, once we are out of-!" Auru was knocked back. Mikau retreated away from the sight of a tall creature bearing elaborate, glowing, markings upon its body. Its head was shaped like a silhouette of a man, with large, protruding horns. Its skin was pitch-black. Auru struggled to get to his feet and detached the item, wrapped in cloth, on his back. The cloth fell from it, revealing a crossbow with a regal design. It was already loaded. "Stand back!" he yelled as he aimed at the creature.

He pulled the trigger. The arrow, upon hitting it, exploded in a sizable ball of fire. The creature was blown back onto the stairs by the force of the explosion. The cry heard from the beast was of an indescribable tone that caused them to shudder. Darmani began to yell, and then ran to the creature and smashed its head with his fist. It dematerialized into black particles that faded as they flew. Darmani was breathing heavily. "I… don't ever want to hear that again…goro…" He relaxed his fist, still extended from the punch. Auru attached his crossbow to a holster on his back. "…Let's go before anything else happens…"

They exited through the fallen wall.


	9. Chapter 8: The Lost Woods, Part III

**Chapter 8: The Lost Woods, part III**

~~~The Skull Kid continued to lead Zelda and Link through the fog, keeping the fog back by the light of the lantern. It was still as dark and eerily quiet as it had been.

"Do not worry. Be there soon. The place I take you," said the Skull Kid.

Link almost forgot that the creature could speak since they had been walking so long. Suddenly, Link heard an unsettling sound. It was an otherworldly screech that seemed to pierce every part of his body. Zelda covered her ears, and the Skull Kid shrieked.

"What was that?" Link wearily said.

"I've…never heard such…" Zelda uttered in amazement.

"The Darkness, they come! They come to get us! Hurry!" the Skull Kid yelled, and then began sprinting. Link and Zelda followed.

"Why do we have to hurry?" yelled Link to the Skull Kid.

"They come. They'll change us. They destroy us. The Darkness from the Temple!" spoke the Skull Kid.

Link was confused, but he didn't have any wish to know what they ran from.

They ran for five minutes, without incident. Link was unnerved that nothing had happened. Link, once again, heard the shrill, unnatural, sound, this time, there were more. They picked up their pace as they ran from their theoretical pursuers. Suddenly, the Skull Kid was knocked to the ground by a silhouetted creature. Its height was that of the Skull Kid's. It didn't have any garbs on, and it had intricate markings that were aglow on its body. The Skull Kid seemed to be unconscious. Zelda unsheathed her Kodachi and ran at the imp. The imp jumped into the trees before she reached it. The imp let out a distorted laugh as it disappeared from view.

"We have to hold here until the Skull Kid wakes up!" stated Link.

"It will be back soon…" Zelda said, focusing on the forest canopy.

They held their position. The wily imp either was gone, or delaying. Link took a canteen from a holster on his belt.

"I'm going to wake him up." Link said.

Link knelt down beside the Skull Kid and splashed some water on its face. Its arm twitched, and then its red eyes began to glow once more. Link noticed the lack of expression in its face. He heard the faint sound of leaves rustling behind him. He turned to see the imp, already in mid air, coming at him. Link raised his sword to defend. Just then, the creature lost its momentum, and fell to the ground, then began to squirm. A stream of darts began flying from behind Link. They were hitting the helpless imp. He turned around to see where they came from. The Skull Kid was blowing the darts at it with his flute. Zelda, from behind the imp, stabbed it where its heart should be, if it had one. It then exploded into black pixilated pieces. The Skull Kid put its flute in its worn tunic. "I fight with you. I fear no more. Come!"

The Skull Kid led them through the fog, at a more leisurely pace than before. It was humming the song that it played with Zelda.

"Sheik," Link said.

"Yes?" she replied.

"How did that song you played bring life into the forest?" Link asked.

"Legends say that this song is the song of the Guardian of the Forest. When it's played, life comes into a lifeless area by the power of the Guardian."

Link began rubbing his chin. He had many other questions, like how she knew to play the song, but he didn't want to ask in front of the Skull Kid. As they walked, Link noticed the forest becoming less foggy. More and more sunlight also began reaching them. After being in the dark for so long, it seemed as if they would never again experience the warmth of sunlight. A breeze was also blowing through them, but it wasn't of the same nature as the gale in the fog.

"We are here! Just ahead. I cannot go. I leave now!" the Skull Kid said. It turned to walk away.

"Wait!" Link yelled.

The Skull Kid turned back.

"Why can't you come with us?" he asked.

"I live here; beyond is not my home. I cannot go." It was hard to tell if the Skull Kid was sad, of indifferent, because of its emotionless face.

Link smiled. "Be careful on your way back."

The Skull Kid disappeared into the forest.


	10. Chapter 9: The Great Deku Tree

**Chapter 9: The Great Deku Tree**

~~~Link began to notice a clearing up ahead. He sped to a sprint, eager to break free of the enclosed feeling of the forest. Zelda followed close behind. When they reached the clearing, they saw what seemed to be trees cut into strange shapes. The stumps were significantly larger than any other tree previously seen.

"Sheik,"

"What is it?"

"Have you seen anything about this place?" Link asked.

"No, but these trees are cut in such a way that it would be assumed that someone, or people, actually lived in them."

It could have been a possibility, but no entrances to the inside of the trees were visible. There were trodden paths that led to each of them as well as through the area.

"Let's wait here for the-!" Link stopped short at the sound of rustling leaves in the woods. Link readied his hand for his sword. From out of the forest, ran Auru, Darmani, and Mikau. They had a significant number of wounds on them.

"What happened to all of you?!" Link asked, running to them.

Auru was grasping his shoulder, apparently bitten by a ReDead. It was bleeding through the bandages. "Monsters that I've never seen attacked us… They made wretched noises that summoned more of-." Auru stumbled and rested his knee upon the ground.

"Were they black silhouettes?" Link asked.

"…Yes. Did you see one?" he asked, looking up at Link.

"We did. Just one though."

"We also heard the sound that you spoke of," Zelda added.

"Where are the leaders?" Darmani asked. He had some bruises, but he wasn't hurt badly, possible because of his tough skin. Link scanned the area. He shrugged his shoulders. Mikau was focused on the path ahead. He appeared to be slashed around his arms. The bandages managed against these wounds.

"Let's keep going. I'm sure they'll catch up…" he stated.

They continued down the path. Darmani aided Auru, supporting his weight. It was well into the afternoon and the sun's heat seemed to be more soothing rather than hot, maybe due to the pleasant breeze that swept through the land. As they went down the path, they re-entered the forest. After a short distance, they reached another clearing. There was a vast meadow, with flowing grass and colorful flowers amidst the forest. At the far end of the meadow, was an enormous tree, unlike anything imaginable. It was easily able to dwarf the Temple of Tim in height. Upon the trunk of the tree, were the features of a human face, with black eyebrows and a mustache. The trees' roots stretch far out.

"You all sure took your time…"

Link quickly turned to the left to see the enigmatic trio standing patiently. Link frowned. "How did you guys lose us?" Link asked.

"If you all would have reached for our hands, that wouldn't have happened," said the middle one.

"I did, but no one reached back," Mikau stated.

"I was just as surprised by the sudden gale as you were. Let's face it. Why would your employers want to kill you?"

Mikau conceded.

"What is this place?" Zelda asked.

"It's the meadow of the Great Deku Tree."

Suddenly, the sound of grinding tree bark was made. Link turned to see that the Great Deku Tree began moving as if to speak. Its leaves shook. "Hrmmmmm!" The Great Deku Tree's grunt startled Darmani, who went into a curl.

"Who art thou?" the tree spoke.

"Y-You can talk?!" Link said, amazed.

"Yes. Who art thou that would travel into this stained forest?" he asked again.

"I am Link!" he shouted, in case the tree couldn't hear him.

"I am Sheik."

"I am Auru."

"Darmani, goro!"

"My name is Mikau."

There was a pause.

"Wilt thou cloaked men let thy names be known?" it inquired.

They looked at each other. "My name is Uryan," the one on the left said.

"I am Nid," said the one in the middle.

"And I am Eroraf," the last one said.

The tree was silent for a moment. "Hast thou seen the black creatures that plague the forest?" the Great Deku Tree asked.

"Yes, we have," answered Auru.

The Great Deku Tree shook its leaves. They seemed to sparkle as the fell. A concentrated breeze guided the falling leaves to them. As they blew through them, Link began to feel refreshed. He noticed that the wounds Auru and the rest received were no more. "Let not thy wit become dulled. These woods art dangerous. The trees thou passeth on thy way here. They art the houses of my children, the Kokiri. They shall open their village to thee. Now go." The Deku Tree fell silent. The trio turned to go back.

"We will rest for a bit. Then we'll search the forest," Nid said.

"For what?" Zelda asked.

"The Kokiri Emerald," he finished.

"That reminds me," Uryan began, "Did you all see anything…curious in the woods?" he asked.

"We found a ruined temple. I think that the source of the monsters is there," Auru said.

"Then that is where we'll go," Eroraf said.


	11. Chapter 10: Revelation of the Great

**Chapter 10: Revelation of the Great Deku Tree**

~~~When they reached the clearing, the network of strange trees was different. They were clearly tree houses, with decorations to adorn them. Other things like fences and walkways among the trees were present also. Another thing about this area was also different. Fireflies populated the area in such a way as to give light to the area as well as the sun. In what appeared to be the town center, children, at least a dozen of them, stood. They wore green outfits and caps.

"It appears that they were hidden by the Deku Tree's magic," said Uryan.

They stopped in front of the children.

"The Great Deku Tree told us about you!" said the one who stood in front. He wore a cap and had freckles and red hair.

"You are the Kokiri?" asked Mikau.

"Yeah, all of us. I'm the leader, the Great Mido!" he said, puffing out his chest. The other Kokiri sighed and rolled their eyes. "If you need anything, you can just ask me!"

Link noticed that there were bright lights with wings that flit about the children. "What are those?" Link asked, pointing at the lights.

"You mean, 'who are we?' We are the guardian fairies appointed to the Kokiri by the Deku Tree!" it said.

"Fairies?" Auru said, carefully examining it.

"Anyway, the tree houses that you'll stay in are the one on the hill, near the fences, and the one with the ladder." Mido said. The Kokiri dispersed, going about their way.

"We will take the tree house with the ladder, the rest of you use the other." said Nid.

Link began to protest, but he held back.

"At sunset, we will go looking in the forest. Rest until then." concluded Uryan, as they walked away.

Inside the tree house, there was a spacious room. It had a fireplace in the middle, a bench, and three child-sized beds.

"I guess we'll be sleeping on the floor tonight…" Link said.

"I can curl up and sleep anywhere, so I won't need a bed, goro." Darmani said. Darmani walked to an empty spot by the wall and curled himself. Auru sat on a bench, and pulled out a worn book.

"I'm going out to look around." Mikau stated, and then walked out.

"Are you going somewhere too?" Link asked Zelda.

She nodded. "I need some time to myself," she said.

"I'll go out too." Link said also.

The afternoon sun was high and bright, but not hot. Perhaps that too is the magic of the Deku Tree. The Kokiri ran about the village, playing with each other, or tending to their gardens. Looking back into the Lost Woods, Link could hardly believe that the terrors of the forest were that close to threatening the peace that they enjoyed here. Link also wondered if the Skull Kid was okay. Down the path, Link noticed one of the Kokiri running at full speed. He was running to Link. After stopping in front of Link, he waited to catch his breath. "Are you Link?!?" he asked urgently.

"Uh…yes."

"Come quickly! The Great Deku Tree wishes to see you!" The boy ran down the path he came, signaling Link to follow. They came to the end of the path. "This way," he said.

The boy walked back. Link was nervous. He didn't have an idea what the Deku Tree wanted from him. He came before the presence of the Deku Tree. The crackle of the tree bark signified the Deku Tree preparing to speak. "Link," the Great Deku Tree said.

Unnerved, Link said, "Yes?"

"I have many things to tell thee. First, I must tell you about the danger that you are in." Could the Deku Tree have known about Link's concern with the trio that employed him? Link forced back the thought.

"What danger?" he asked.

"Thou and thine comrades art in peril. Thou must stay strong, and pure. Thou must remember thine purpose to overcome the shadow that will take thee unawares."

Link did not know what he meant by purpose. "What purpose?" Link asked.

"Thou, Link, art the Chosen Hero of the Goddesses."

Link's heart skipped a beat in such a way that he thought he had just died. He was the one that would carry on the legendary legacy of the Heroes of Hyrule. Suddenly, all of the events that led up to this point, the dreams, the mission, and the whisper, were beginning to make sense to him. "The- Chosen Hero?" Link repeated to clarify that he wasn't delusional.

"Yes, thou art." The Great Deku Tree shook its leaves. In the same manner as the last time, they blew through Link, only now they began circling through him. Then, they lifted him into the air. A bright light began to enrapture Link until he could no longer see. After the light receded, Link's feet were once again upon the ground. Link felt renewed, and surging with a newfound power.

"Look upon thyself," The Deku Tree spoke.

Link unleashed his blade. Though the battle stains unwashed from the blade distorted the image, Link saw that he wore a new outfit. It was a green tunic; similar to the one he wore in his dream.

"Thou wearest the tunic that was the kind the Hero wore. It was said by the wise sage who aided him on his journey that he should wear it. Now thou shall also bear it also." The Great Deku Tree paused again. "Thou can stop this danger by carrying out your destiny. The cloaked one, Nid, saith that the Kokiri Emerald is in the forest. He is wrong. I hold the Kokiri Emerald. I will give it to thee after thou hast liberated the forest and hast proved thyself worthy."

"What is it that I should do?" Link asked.

"Defeat the evil that threatens my existence and this forest. Without me, the forest will fall into chaos. The source lies in the temple of old. Your comrades will know. I now grant you leave. Make use of your new found power." The Deku Tree fell silent.


	12. Chapter 11: Darkness Falls

**Chapter 11: Darkness Falls**

~~~As Link was walking through the village, he noticed Zelda sitting on a tree branch, high up, near the tree walk ways. Link followed the walk way to her. She turned around to see him as he came near. "Link, what happened to you?"

"Well," Link began, rubbing the back of his head, "A lot happened between now and the time we left the tree house."

Zelda looked surprised for once, instead of Link.

"Here's what happened…"

Link told her about the meeting with the Deku Tree. She closed her eyes after the story as she usually does when in thought.

"You said that we are all in danger, right?" Zelda asked to clarify.

"Yes, that's what he told me. There was also something else he said that troubled me. He told me to remember my purpose in order to overcome the shadow that will take me unaware. Do you have any idea what that means?" he asked.

Zelda still had her eyes closed. "It seems as if he could be talking about this danger that we are in, but I don't have a definite answer," she said. She looked out to the setting sun. "Whatever happens, we must be ready to fulfill the sacred will of the goddesses."

Link noticed on the north end of the village, everyone was gathered at the edge of the forest. "Oh! They're already leaving! Let's go!"

Zelda leaped to the ground below, and Link took the path, that he came up on, back down. As Link approached, he could tell that the rest of them had questions about his appearance.

"Is that what the Deku Tree gave you?" Eroraf said, implying Link's new outfit.

Link was slightly troubled by the fact that they knew about his meeting. "Yes, he did. He also told me what we need to do," said Link, hoping to change the conversation.

"Well, what did he say?" asked Auru.

"He told me that the source of the evil in the forest is in an old temple. He also said that one of you knew where it was."

Auru's eyes widened, showing that he was surprised. "We've seen it, Mikau, Darmani, and I. It's where we ended up after the fog separated us," he said.

"Can you take us there?" Nid asked.

"The fog distorted our direction, and with the battles we endured, we were lucky that we found our way out, goro!" said Darmani.

"I think I know a way that we can get there," said Zelda.

"Well, Shiek, what is it?" asked Uryan.

"When we were lost, we happened upon a Skull Kid, who led us out of the forest. I think that I can call it again, but I don't know for certain," she explained.

"Let's go then," concluded Nid.

The setting sun shone a light that seemed to be drenched in blood through the trees of the forest. Zelda raised her hand, signaling everyone to stop. She turned to them.

"Don't do anything to startle it. Wait quietly." Zelda picked a thick blade of grass from a patch of grass beneath her. She put it to her mouth and began playing. The hypnotic tune echoed through the trees, carrying far into the forest. Darmani caught himself as he nearly began dancing to the tune. It was probably due to her training by Impa, but to Link, she seemed to be the most insightful person in the group. After all, she is the princess of Hyrule.

Zelda suddenly ceased playing. The same tune, that Zelda had just played, briefly sounded throughout the forest. "It's coming…" she whispered.

After a minute, the impish silhouette of the Skull Kid could be seen ahead. Mikau made a slight grunt, as if he was unsure that it was the Skull Kid. The silhouette was revealed as the Skull Kid. It briefly hesitated upon noticing them, and then proceeded. "You play well still. Does Sheik need me?" he said.

Link was amazed that it remembered her name after only hearing it twice.

"Yes, we need your help. Can you guide us to the woods?" Zelda asked.

The Skull Kid was silent for a moment. "Yes. I take you. Come!" The Skull Kid lit his lamp that he carried with him. "Follow me!"

The sun was no longer visible through the on coming wall of darkness, but its red light was visible on the peaks of the trees above. The foreboding fog that they left earlier was every bit as dreadful as before. The fog encased them as they walked into it. The light source was as it was when they first came in. The amount of light apparently didn't change with the location of the sun. The Skull Kid kept a steady pace as they followed. Everyone was alert for danger. The creatures that attacked them were likely still around.

Ahead of them, the fog was becoming thinner as they went on. They eventually, came upon what were the ruins of a once grand temple. It was, perhaps, larger than the Temple of Time. The Skull Kid led them through a breach in the walls of the temple grounds. The courtyard was marred and battered with an overgrowth of trees and other vegetation and worn and cracked walk ways. The Skull Kid led them up a large staircase. At the top, four ReDeads ambushed them. Link quickly unsheathed his sword. The others followed suit. Link dashed with greater speed than before toward the ReDead nearest to him, careful to avoid eye contact. He swung his sword downward, instantly felling the ReDead. Darmani approached the ReDead closest to him. The ReDead seemed not to notice him. Darmani grabbed its face and slammed it to the ground. It ceased moving. Auru took aim with his crossbow and fired a golden arrow at it. The arrow struck its head, and then shinned brightly. The ReDead was enraptured in light that suddenly caused the ReDead to disappear. Mikau did as he did when they were on the caravan, by using his ulna fins as boomerangs. The two fins overlapped each other at the point of the ReDead's neck, cutting off its head. Zelda was amazed that they felled the four ReDeads as fast as they did. Link wanted to ask Auru about his golden arrows, but now wasn't the time.

The Skull Kid led them to the large stone doors of the ruin. "In this place, the Darkness rest." He turned from them and walked away.

"Where are you going now?" asked Link.

The Skull Kid paused.

"Why are you leaving us now?" Link asked.

"I have led you to the Darkness, now I am not needed."

"But didn't you tell me that you were no longer afraid to fight?"

The Skull Kid paused.

"Just sitting around isn't going to make things better! You have to take action if you truly want something!" Link stated.

The Skull Kid began to shudder. "I just don't want to become like the rest of my friends!" He displayed a flicker of sadness in its voice. It appeared to be crying. Link was bewildered. The Skull Kid ran into the darkness below the staircase.

"I shouldn't have been so harsh…" Link said.

Zelda put her hand on his shoulder.

"Let's go Link."

He turned to them.

"If you're ready, then shall we go?" Nid asked.

Link nodded. Darmani pushed open the stone doors.

Inside the stone doors, there was a gigantic chapel that stretched far into the distance. Worn tiles decorated the floor as well as a tattered blues and gold carpet that acted as a pathway down the chapel hall. The oppressing darkness shrouded the chapel and gave it a demonic feeling. Lining the path, the unrecognizable remains of statues lay. There were large stained-glass windows, but most of them were broken.

"There is a strong evil will within this place…" Zelda muttered.

They cautiously walked the carpet path. The darkness seemed to be moving as they advanced. Suddenly a silhouette figure leaped from the darkness and stuck Link to the ground. It resembled a Wolfos, but with the beastly horns that the other creatures had as well that they have come across. The creature turned to Zelda, attacking with its shadowed claws. At the point of contact, Zelda instantly disappeared from where she was, appearing instead, behind the creature. In quick succession, she slashed at the creature with her Kodachi. She concluded the flurry of attacks by stabbing the back of its neck. It fell to the ground, exploding into particles. Link recovered to his feet. He suddenly felt a presence behind them. Link quickly turned, seeing two more shadow creatures jumping at them. Link jumped at them, and began to spin with his sword. He spun fast enough to create a powerful field of energy around him. He struck the creatures with his sword with such force that the creatures instantly exploded in pieces. Link landed on the ground. He was surprised that he didn't feel dizzy.

"Let's hurry before more come!" urged Mikau.

They quickened their pace as they traveled down the path. They eventually came upon a staircase. The staircase was wide, and stretched far. As they moved up the steps, the darkness began to move again. This time, particles of darkness began swarming to them. Link prepared his stance for attack. Zelda, Darmani, Mikau, and Auru prepared themselves also. The dark particles that surrounded them, suddenly leaped at them. Link, with his sword, struck down the ones that attacked him. Darmani curled into a ball and spun in place, generating a blaze about him that incinerated the particles that attacked him. Auru used a golden arrow in his hand to ward off the darkness. Mikau swung his fins with great speed, successfully driving away the darkness. The darkness avoided Nid, Uryan, and Eroraf for some reason. Zelda, with unseen speed, struck down her adversaries. Link noticed a particle above Zelda, descending on her. Impulsively, Link pushed Zelda out of its way, and attempted to strike it. He missed the particle just barely.

The piece of darkness landed on Link.


	13. Chapter 12: Change of Heart

**Chapter 12: Change of Heart**

~~~Link dropped to his knees, clenching his chest. He grunted and gasped in pain. Zelda knelt down to comfort him.

"He's becoming infected with the darkness," said Uryan.

Zelda looked up at him. "Is there something you can do?" she said.

Link began breathing heavily. Uryan was silent for a moment. "There is something that we can do. There is a possibility it may not work correctly, but we will see. Stand away everyone."

Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf, stood shoulder to shoulder with each other. They all put out their hands toward Link, who was now shuddering. They began chanting something that was of a different tongue, in perfect unison. Their hands all began glowing with a bright light that was increasing in brilliance. Link began to become enshrouded in the darkness that attempted to overcome him. After a moment, the light flashed in a blinding way, and then encased Link. The light purged Link of the shadow that was overcoming him. Link collapsed to the ground after the light receded. Uryan smirked. "It appears to be a success…"

Link came to himself after a minute, and stood to his feet. He felt better than he did before, even better than he did when the Deku Tree declared him the Chosen Hero.

"Link, are you okay?" Zelda asked.

"Yeah, I feel fine. What happened?"

"A particle of darkness was beginning to take you over, so we performed a spell to purge you of it," explained Uryan.

Link was disturbed that he had helped him. Though he was glade for it, he was skeptical because they had not done anything previously to help any of them during this mission.

"We've wasted enough time here, let's hurry!" proclaimed Auru.

They continued up the staircase. With the darkness that enshrouded them, it was hard to tell how far they had come from the bottom. They were practically blind. After a few minutes, they finally reached the top of the staircase. To everyone's much surprise, there were two torches that illuminated the area beyond the stairs. The torches stood by a stone door. The blue and gold carpet ended, or began, at the door, bearing the symbol of the Triforce on it.

"Approach cautiously, the source of the evil is just beyond this door…" said Eroraf.

As they stepped closer, Link felt a strange feeling in his body. The feeling only lasted for a second, but it felt like a powerful desire to fulfill some unknown purpose. Suddenly, two silhouettes appear before them, standing in front of the door. They resembled exceptionally large Castle Guard soldiers, with long wide swords. This resemblance was only minor, as the appearances of the silhouettes were not like a man, but a cross between a man and a beast. They bore the trademark horns that all the others had. Auru raised his crossbow at one of them and fired a golden arrow. It was knocked away by the shadow creature. Link closed the distance between one of them and quickly slashed it. It recovered from the damage and attacked Link, slashing him, with enough force to knock him off of his feet. Mikau followed up the attack that Link did. He jumped over Link and kicked the creature in its face, and then he slashed him with his ulna fin. Link got to his feet and attacked the creature again. This time, it blocked his attack with its sword. Link, then, hit it with his shield, causing the creature to lose balance. Link took the opportunity, by stabbing its head. It still attacked Link, however, knocking him away with the hilt of its sword. The creature fell to the ground after that, and exploded in particles that faded.

Auru had a look of surprise on his face that the golden arrow had not affected it. He ran further back from the creature. Zelda suddenly appeared beside the beast and kicked its legs, knocking it off its feet. Darmani approached and pounded its head with his fist. The creature's dematerialization signaled its defeat.

"Good teamwork. We're pleased to see that we recruited the right people for the job. Let's continue," said Nid.

Darmani pushed open the stone doors. The room was not in darkness at all. A pale light illuminated the room, hiding nothing. It was as big as the chamber of the Master Sword from Link's dream. Four large arcs, equidistant from each other, stretched to a point in the center of the chamber near the ceiling. A circular design of the Triforce was on the floor and the ceiling. A gigantic stained-glass window was on the other side of the room. If there was a design on it, time and weather had worn it away. The group walked further into the chamber. A figure suddenly appeared before them, floating in the space above the center of the room. He was a man in a purple hooded cloak that hid his face. He held a wooden staff, and wore a strange helmet that resembled the horns on the beast that they fought earlier. "Looks like you survived the monsters of this place… Why would you want to come see your death so quickly?" he said.

"Are you the one who has been causing trouble in the forest?" Link asked.

"Answer my question first! Why are you here!" he yelled.

Link was taken aback.

"We've come to take your head!" exclaimed Auru.

He was quiet for a moment. "You've come to…kill…me?" He chuckled.

"I've had enough of this…" Mikau interrupted. He swung his arms and his fins flew through the air at the man. The man moved from his position slightly, just before the fins had come in contact with him. The fins, then, flew at greater speed, hitting Mikau. Mikau was knocked to the ground.

"Don't be so hasty now. Let me at least enjoy your company. If you have come to kill me then you really haven't done enough research, have you?"

Link noticed that he seemed to know something about why they're here.

"Let's get this done. I'm tired of hearing you act like you know something," Auru stated.

"Very well, I'll kill you now since you want it so bad," the man said.

A red light began glowing inside his hood. A black and red aura filled the air around him, signifying the intensity of his power. There was a low rumble accompanying this display.

"He's not an average man, stay alert to him," warned Auru.

The aura surrounding him suddenly unleashed a flurry of energy balls that flew in random trajectories. Everyone dispersed in different directions to avoid the deadly attack. Link once again felt the strong, overwhelming desire he felt earlier. Link looked up to where the man was, but he wasn't there. The sound of rushing wind came from behind Link. He turned quickly, and saw that the man was coming at high speed toward him with his staff raised. Link parried with his sword, repelling the man. Suddenly, Link felt his heart pulsate, causing the space around him to bend. The pulsations continued, and Link began to feel like he was losing control of himself to something else. The man stood his ground, observing what was happening to Link. A dark aura surrounded Link. Link could no longer think clearly, being overcome with thoughts of hatred, desire, and fear. His body turned to the shade of darkness instantly. Link's eyes began to glow red, and his voice was warped by the transformation.

"What's happening to Link? I thought you all cured him!" Zelda yelled to Uryan.

"I told you that there was a chance that it wouldn't work properly…"

Link's aura suddenly expanded furiously, knocking the cloaked man to a wall. Link stood erect, with is transformation complete.

"I'll…kill…you…"


	14. Chapter 13: The Means to an End

**Chapter 13: The Means to an End**

~~~Link stood, engulfed in darkness. His figure was nearly pitch-black, but not as a silhouette.

"What are you?!" the man asked, getting to his feet.

"I'm Link. Who are you?" Link said. His voice was distorted.

"…My name is Anodro," he said.

"Good. Now I can properly fight you, Anodro."

Without a moment's hesitation, Link suddenly appeared behind Anodro and struck him with his darkened sword. Anodro was knocked away by Link's attack, slamming into a wall on the other side of the room. Link quickly followed up by dashing at him. Anodro quickly gained altitude by levitating. Link swung his sword but missed him as he went further into the air. Anodro's red and black aura returned.

"Come forth my Silhouettes!"

A blob of darkness appeared in the middle of the chamber. It took shape of four humanoid Silhouettes. Each of them leaped at Link ferociously. As they attempted to attack Link, they all fell from the path they were on, hitting the ground. Needles were stuck in their necks. Link saw that Zelda had stopped those monsters, but he didn't care. All he wanted to do was kill Anodro.

Link leaped into the air, poising to attack Anodro. Link brought his sword down on him, but his blade was abruptly stopped. Anodro had blocked the sword with a sword of his own. The sword was yellow with black markings, and it had a haunting glow. "You aren't the only one who can use a sword," said Anodro.

Anodro's red eye flashed brightly, and he parried Link's sword, pushing him back to the ground. Link's aura grew, emitting black electric static. Link swung his sword vertically, causing a vertical wave of dark energy to appear. Anodro was hit by it. He fell to the ground. Link appeared over Anodro and attempted to stab him. Anodro quickly brought his sword to the point of Link's, and blocked it. Link jumped out of his range, as Anodro got to his feet again. Link dashed at Anodro, as Anodro did the same. They engaged in what was a sword battle, faster than the normal eye could see.

Zelda, Auru, Darmani, Mikau, and the trio all looked in awe. They couldn't comprehend well all of the events that have just taken place. Zelda noticed the craving look on Link's face when she felled the Silhouettes that attacked him. Link was swiftly slipping away from himself.

"His power is growing more and more. If this continues, he will completely lose himself," stated Eroraf.

"Is there something we can do?" asked Zelda.

"No, all that we can do is wait, and see if he can overcome the shadow's grip…"

Link and Anodro furiously fought, not letting up the viciousness of their attacks. Anodro leaped out of the fray, and hovered at a distance. "I can see it… You want to kill me. How does it feel?" he asked Link.

Link smirked. "It makes me feel alive." Link said. He faded from view. Suddenly, Anodro flew from his position, hitting the ground with enough momentum to shatter the tiles that he landed on. He had a mortal wound across his back. Link landed in front of him. Anodro struggled to get to his feet, but fell back to the ground.

"So, Anodro, how does it feel?" taunted Link.

Anodro struggled to turn himself around to lie on his back. "…Curse you… Link…" he mumbled.

Link snorted at his curse.

"You along with this whole cursed land will pay a great price that…you'll regret… My gods will…make…sure…of…" Anodro no longer spoke. His breath left his body, and he lay lifeless.

"Link, are you okay?" yelled Zelda.

Link looked over to her. "Now that I have his power, I have no further use for any of you." He pulled the horned helmet that Anodro wore from his body, and put it on his head. His aura returned, only it had a more ominous appearance.

"What do you mean you have no use for us?" Mikau asked.

"You are all meaningless to me. My weaker self might have cared, but he is no longer in control." Link swung his hand through the air. A wave of darkness swept Mikau off of his feet, knocking him unconscious.

"Link, what has happened to you?!" Zelda asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Everything good, Princess, everything good…" Link dashed with great speed to Zelda, sword aimed at her. He brought his darkened blade upon her.


	15. Chapter 14: Fear No More

**Chapter 14: Fear No More**

~~~As a sinister shadow of his former self, Link brought his sword against Zelda. Zelda closed her eyes, not wanting to see the end of this final chapter in her life. In an instant, sword and body became one. Zelda opened her eyes to witness the kind of death her former comrade had given her. She saw Link's expression. It was of extreme disbelief. She saw an impish figure in front of her. Link's sword impaled it.

"I…fear no more…Link…"

Zelda recognized by the shrill tone of its voice that it was the Skull Kid. Its arms were outstretched as if it was trying to protect her. Link's aura disappeared, and his dark color faded, returning to normal.

"Skull Kid?!" he said in astonishment.

"I protect Sheik from darkness… I fear…no…" The Skull Kid's eyes went dark as its head slumped.

Thousands of stars performed a beautiful requiem for the night's sky, a scene that would have been impossible to see earlier that night. The fog that plagued the forest was no more. The group rushed as fast as they could from the forest to the Deku Tree. Link carried on his back, the Skull Kid, who bore a fatal wound. Darmani carried Mikau, who was unconscious. Link with his own hands, had done both these things to his own friends. He began to understand the Deku Tree's words:

_'…Thou must remember thine purpose to overcome the shadow that will take thee unawares.'_

They broke from the forest into the clearing. The homes of the Kokiri were softly lit by candlelight. No one remained outside. The group past through the forest again, and then they came to the meadow of the Great Deku Tree. Link proceeded a little further than the rest. "Great Deku Tree, We need your help!" yelled Link.

The crackling of bark sounded. "Link, what ails thee?" asked the Deku Tree.

"The Skull Kid and Mikau, please, heal them!" urged Link.

"It shall be done." The Deku Tree frowned. Suddenly tiny pink lights ignited in the area around the Deku Tree. They began to levitate from the grass into the air. The lights, as the came closer to Link, revealed themselves to be fairies. The fairies flit about them, and then flew out, past the forest. Link felt renewed. Mikau came to his senses, getting off of Darmani's back. Link felt the Skull Kid move again. Link sat him to the ground.

"…Where am I?" asked the Skull Kid.

"Thou art in the Meadow of the Deku Tree, my lost child," said the Deku Tree.

"G-Great Deku Tree?!" it said with surprise.

"Thy courage has been excellent. Thou even went as far as to lay down thy life for a friend. Thou have my gratitude."

The Skull Kid's expression was emotionless. The Deku Tree shook its leaves. In the same manner that they encircled Link earlier that day, they encircled the Skull Kid. The Skull Kid was lifted from the ground as the leaves covered it. A blinding light flashed and then receded. What they knew as the Skull Kid was no more. What stood before them now was a Kokiri boy. His hair was blonde and he wore a green cap, white pants and green boots.

"Skull Kid?" Link said apprehensively.

"My name is Fado now." he replied. Fado turned to Link. "This is who I really am. I wandered into the woods and became lost, and that's how I turned into the creature of the Lost Woods," he explained.

"Link," said the Great Deku Tree, "Thou hast proven thyself worthy to be called the Chosen Hero of the Goddesses."

Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf gasped.

"As promised, here is the Kokiri Emerald, a symbol of my approval." The Deku Tree frowned again. A mighty wind began to blow through the meadow. A green light appeared in front of Link. It grew brighter and brighter until something began to take shape within the light. The light quickly receded, revealing an emerald, outlined with gold, in the shape of a leaf. It hovered within Link's grasp.

"Take it in thy hand."

Link grabbed the Kokiri Emerald. It sparkled like the moon.

"Thou hast proven thyself worthy in my sight. Now, journey into the land of the Gorons, Death Mountain, and earn their trust. I leave thee now to thy destiny. Forget not thy purpose."

The Deku Tree ceased to speak. The stars no longer shined upon them, as the clouds now took their place in the sky.

"It looks like tomorrow will be a rainy day," said Link.

"We have much to discuss about what happened tonight, but now is untimely. Let's rest until the morning." Nid said, and then walked a way with the other two into the forest.

Link and the rest followed them back into the forest.


	16. Chapter 15: The Beginning of Something

**Chapter 15: The Beginning of Something Sinister**

~~~Upon getting back to the tree house, everyone prepared himself for sleep. Fado had chosen to sleep in the tree house with them also. Link was very worried about tomorrow, for then, he would be forced to explain what happened between him and the Deku Tree, further complicating his own situation. What also bothered him was the evil that took over his body during his battle with Anodro. If that happened again, someone would surely die.

"Hey Fado," Link said.

Fado turned to Link and sat on his bed.

"How did you get lost in the forest anyway?" asked Link, hoping to ease his mind with Fado's story.

"Well, it was a long time ago, before the Darkness came to the woods. My friends and I went into the woods to play hide and seek. We played for a long time, until the sun had set. After the sun was gone, we decided to go back to the village, but we couldn't find our way. We wandered the forest until a group of Deku Scrubs attacked us. We ran as fast as we could from them. When we looked back, one of us was missing. We were tired and cold, so we slept in a hallowed tree until morning. When we woke up the next morning, we were different. Our cloths became orange as a withered plant does without water and we had become featureless shadows of our former selves. We eventually forgot who we even were, living blissfully in the woods.

"Then one day, we noticed that a shadow had fallen over the forest. Not long after, mysterious monsters began appearing, and even the dead walked among us. One by one, each of my friends began to be overcome by the Darkness, until I was the only one left…"

Fado ended his story, attempting to stop the tears from coming out. Link had no words to console him. There was a certain quality that Fado had that reminded Link of himself. Fado had a sense that he had lived a lifetime already about him, much like how Link felt. Until he met Viscen, he had no one to call a friend, and his whole childhood was a blur. He only had the present and the future…

Link awoke to the sound of raindrops falling outside. Everyone else still slept. He put on his gear and put on a black cloak, and left the tree house. By the hue of gray of that the clouds were, this rain was going to last for a few days. Link walked around the village, taking in the environment and easing his mind for the meeting that was about to take place. Link noticed a Kokiri girl sitting under a tree. The canopy of leaves was enough to keep her dry. Link approached the girl. She apparently did not notice him, as she was busy humming a tune. It was similar to the one Fado played as a Skull Kid. She stopped abruptly, noticing Link coming near. He sat down beside her. She stared Link down.

"Hello mister!" she said.

Link looked at her. She had a large smile on her face that was as pure as spring water. "Hello. What's your name?" asked Link.

"My name is Lado. What makes you come out in the rain mister?"

"I just needed some time to think," he said.

"Is something wrong?" Lado asked.

Link smiled remorsefully. "My friends and I are in a lot of danger. I did some bad things to them, and I'm afraid that because of what I did, they won't think of me as a good person."

"You shouldn't worry so much about something that's already happened. Just ask them to forgive you."

"But, I can't even forgive myself for what I did." he said, as his smile faded.

"Then you should forgive yourself. If you can't do that, then you'll never be happy, nor will you ever be forgiven." She smiled again at Link as she stood.

"Don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry for itself. Just be happy with the way things turn out, good or bad."

Lado ran off in the torrent of rain. Link was amazed that someone so childlike can give advice so helpful. Link walked away from the tree, humming the same song that the girl hummed.

As Link walked back, he noticed that Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf were headed to the tree house. It was time for the meeting. When Link came in, he saw that everyone had already packed up their gear and was ready to go. The trio stood at the far end of the tree house. "Fado, we are about to commence our meeting. I want you to leave for this." Eroraf said.

Fado frowned, but obeyed Eroraf's request.

"Now we will update each other on the events that have past, and the details of our next objective." began Uryan. "First, I shall ask about the specifics of what happened between you and the Deku Tree, Link. Please tell us your story."

Link saw everyone's attention focused on him. He felt nervous, but he still had his composure. "Well, yesterday, the Deku Tree summoned me to him. He told me that the land of Hyrule was in some kind of danger that he didn't elaborate on. Then he told me that I was the Chosen Hero-."

"The Chosen Hero?!" Auru blurted out.

"That explains the green outfit," muttered Nid.

"That was all that he told me." Link sighed.

"These must be serious times indeed…" Darmani stated.

"Next order of business," Eroraf began, "I'd like to go over the issue of Link's ailment. As you all have seen, he was affected by the particles of shadow that we encountered in the temple. Instead of our magic purging the Darkness, it seems to have actually caused it to become a separate entity within Link, coming to fruition by Link's negative emotions building. As we have seen, this version of Link, "Dark Link", has tremendous power and can be a great asset to us as he demonstrated by killing Anodro single-handedly. However, Dark Link can be a great danger to us as he showed by attempting to kill all of us. So, we need to find out a way to keep Link from becoming Dark Link. Does anyone have anything to add?"

"I have something…" Link said.

"Yes?" Uryan said.

"Right before I felt the change, I felt hatred and desire. I believe that those feelings were the cause."

"I also noticed how your Dark Link form seemed to be interested in this," Uryan pulled a large sack from his back and pulled out its contents. It was the helmet that Anodro wore. Link felt a great demonic presence come upon them. Everyone stared at the object with great desire. The strong feelings that Link felt before last night's battle had returned to him. Darmani was drooling and his eyes were in a daze. Uryan quickly bagged the sinister object.

"That's what I thought… This was responsible for Link's change." Uryan said. "This item is called the Fused Shadow. Its some kind of evil magic infused with this helmet. We've seen it in our studies, as we are practitioners of sorcery as well. The problem is that this isn't the whole thing. Other parts of it are missing. My guess is that the one, or ones, responsible for the creation of this is also the people we should be looking out for."

Link rolled his eyes. He found it hard to believe them, especially since they knew so much about the Fused Shadow, even if they say its research.

"Now for the last order of business, after this meeting we shall depart for Death Mountain. It will be at least two days of traveling before we reach the base of the mountain. As Darmani may know, the Goron Tribe makes its home there. That is where we will look for the Goron Ruby, the next item we need. That is all for the meeting." The three walked towards the exit.

"We will leave in thirty minutes. Get ready soon." concluded Nid.


	17. Chapter 16: A Walk to Remember

**Part II: The Search for the Goron Ruby**

**Chapter 16: A Walk to Remember**

~~~Link and the rest had finished cleaning the tree house and packing up what they had brought. After that, they all waited under a giant tree for Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf to come. The intensity of the rain had slightly increased from early that morning. Day one of their journey had come to an end, faster than Link expected it to be. There was no guarantee that the second objective would be so easily obtainable. The journey to Death Mountain was long, and would be far more treacherous than the challenges they had faced before.

"Hmph. For all of their talk, they seem to be the ones that are always being waited on..." muttered Mikau.

"They are probably just taking their time as usual," said Auru. Right after Auru's words, they appeared ahead, approaching them at an easy pace.

"About time..." Mikau muttered.

"I trust that you're all ready to depart?" said Nid.

"Yes, we are," said Zelda.

Link noticed that she had been remarkably quiet today, only just now hearing her speak.

"Well then, follow us. The weather isn't favorable, so we must hurry if we want to get a head start before the weather becomes worst."

They began their exodus of Kokiri Forest. The ominous fog that made its home here was no more, making navigating the forest much easier than their first time in. The trees seemed full of life, compared to the hallowed appearance that they had when Anodro was still alive. Fireflies and other creatures that would normally inhabit a forest were evidently around again, though most hid from the rain.

"It's a shame that we don't get to see the forest in its true splendor. But, its at least satisfying to see our efforts pay off in a good way," said Auru.

"I don't mind the rain all that much, it's a nice change of pace," said Mikau, with a smirk.

"Well that's because you're a Zora. Of course you would say that, goro!" said Darmani.

"Hey, look," said Link. Up ahead of them, was a clearing, with a large tree stump and a patch of grass. "This is where we first met Fado, as a Skull Kid." said Link.

"What was he doing here?" asked Auru.

"He was playing his flute here." Link noticed some kind of design etched on the stump. He went closer to examine it. It was a picture of Fado playing his flute, and Link and Zelda dancing on both sides of him. There was also a message on the bottom of it:

"Thank you Link and Sheik."

Suddenly, a song echoed through the woods. It was the song Fado played when they first met. He must have known they would come by here. This was probably his way of saying good-bye.

After a few minutes, they reached the clearing. They were finally free of the forest. Their caravans were as they were when they left them.

"Yes! We're finally back!" exclaimed Darmani.

"Who's going to lead the horses this time?" asked Auru.

The horses, although not left long, were surprisingly healthy, likely due to the trio's magic.

"Um, I'll do it," volunteered Link.

Zelda perked up at Link's words. "Oh, I'll ride with him," she said.

"If that's what you want," said Auru.

"Well let's go. We have a hard road ahead of us," said Uryan.

They started the journey once again. The rain had increased more since the forest, and ahead of them laid a sky, darkened by the deepness of the clouds. The caravan that carried the three led the way.

"Sheik," Link said.

Zelda, staring out to the distance, quickly turned to Link. "Yes?"

"Are you upset by what happened at the Temple?"

"No, I understand that it wasn't your fault..."

"What's on your mind then?"

She paused. "I've been noticing someone following us, since last night. I didn't want to say anything in order not to cause more problems than we already have."

Link scanned the area. "Who do you think it could be?"

"It might be a Sheikah sent to watch over me, but, with the strange events going on lately, I wouldn't be so sure that's the case."

Suddenly, the sound of someone blowing a horn sounded in the distance. Link saw that the leading caravan slowed slightly. Link maneuvered around the front caravan to see what was happening. Ahead, a legion of Bulblins was heading in their direction. The army of Bulblins outnumbered the group that attacked them the first time by at least two times.

"Auru," Link yelled.

Auru peeked out of the caravan. "What's the problem?"

"We're being attacked again! Take control of the horses, I'm going to fight again!"

Auru did as Link requested. Link drew his sword and stood to the side of the caravan, ready for combat. The army of opposing forces began marching at a faster pace, ready as Link to engage in a brutal battle.


	18. Chapter 17: The Great Battle That Day

**Chapter 17: The Great Battle That Day**

~~~Link took off his cloak and threw it inside the caravan. He climbed to the top of the caravan and held on, waiting for the perfect opportunity to demount a Bulblin from its steed. Being on top of the caravan, Link was able to see the enemy advancements. The leader of this army was a Bulblin; similar to the one that Link fought a day earlier. He was heavily clad in armor and wielded a large sword. He rode upon a large boar, apparently issuing orders from the back lines. The platoon he commanded had an intimidating sense of organization about them, contrasting to the group they faced before. The front line was equipped with clubs, a standard item among Bulblins. The second line had swords, the third line, clubs, and the fourth line wielded bows. They rode in a dressed formation of six by four, and had units of two Bulblins per steed.

"Link, Are you prepared?!" Auru yelled.

Link tightly gripped the top of the caravan. "Yeah!"

Auru sped the caravan forward toward the enemy. For their sake, Link hoped that he wouldn't attempt to charge their ranks. Despite Link's fear, Auru tightly steered to the left, just before colliding into them. The archers on the back lines fired their arrows at them. Link raised his shield and blocked them as they came, while Zelda struck the arrows with her needles. The Bulblins fell out of their formation, pursuing them as they fled. Link took a glance back, and saw the other caravan, with Nid standing out at front. Nid's appearance likely meant that this wasn't some elaborate plan of theirs. Link waited patiently for a unit to come close enough. Just as Link found his opportunity, the caravan began rattling and shaking. Link grabbed onto the caravan to avoid losing balance. The Bulblins that were near the sides of the caravan were bludgeoning it with their clubs. Mikau appeared out at the front of the caravan and flung his fins at the Bulblins who were attacking the caravan to kill them. When the caravan stabilized, Link found his opportunity, but two Bulblins, making it a difficult task to demount them, headed the boar. Link looked down to Zelda.

"Sheik!" Link yelled, signaling to the Bulblins.

Zelda nodded, and threw two needles, striking them both in the neck. Link jumped from the caravan top to the unmanned boar and regained control. With a single swing, Link felled two units of Bulblins that were near him. Suddenly, a familiar rumble sounded behind them. It was Darmani, rolling in his curled state. Behind them, Nid was striking down their foes with energy balls that he formed. This was actually the first battle that any one of the three had participated in since their journey began.

Link set out for the commander of the platoon. In order to ensure an easy victory, he had to destroy the chain of command, causing the rest of them to become unorganized. The Bulblins formed up on the leader, impeding Link's path. One of the units, wielding a sword, came in on Link and swung at him. He blocked its attack, and stabbed the Bulblin's chest. It fell from the boar. The rider, however, still remained on the boar, and rammed Link. Link nearly fell from his mount, but regained control and slashed the Bulblin off the boar. Link moved in on the commander, when he found the opportunity. The commander seemed not to notice him. Link, prepared himself to take advantage of this opportunity, when he was knocked from his boar. Link tumbled on the ground, until he landed on his back. A Bulblin, who can up from behind, hit him. Link turned around, and saw the trailing caravan coming past him. A group of Bulblins followed it. Link ran into the fray, and slashed the legs of the boars that came by, causing them to trip and fall. A Bulblin, who slashed his shoulder, once again knocked link to the ground. Link narrowly avoided the boars, which nearly trampled him as they passed. When Link got to his feet, he turned to follow them, when he saw the commander standing in front of him.

Zelda continued to defend the caravan from the barrage of arrows. She was running low on the needles she had remaining. Mikau kept the Bulblins from flanking them. Auru kept the caravan heading east toward their destination. Darmani continued to plow over the Bulblins who were near the caravan. Zelda noticed that the archers hadn't fired any shots for a while. She inspected their formation. They seemed to be forming around Darmani, while avoiding his attacks. She saw that the archers were preparing to use an arrow with something tied to the end of it.

"Darmani, get out of there!" she yelled.

Darmani suddenly made sharp turn in an attempt to break out. The Bublins were quick to his plan, and remained centered on him. They fired their arrows simultaneously. The arrows pulled a net behind them. They meant to trap Darmani. Darmani was caught in the net and came to an immediate stop.

"Auru, Slow down! We must help him!" urged Zelda.

"No! It's too risky! If we go back, we'll be captured as well!" he yelled. Auru searched the area around them. "Where is Link?" he asked Zelda.

She scanned around. "I don't know!"

The Bulblin stood before Link, with his sword resting on his shoulder. He swung his sword straight out in front of him and held it there. Link was confused by what he was doing, and why he didn't follow the rest of the group.

"Take up your arm!" it yelled.

Link, at hearing those words, recognized that he was challenging Link to a formal duel. Now, in addition to them having military organization, they also seemed to have a sense of a warrior's code. Link touched the Bulblin's blade with his own, accepting his challenge. At the point of the touch, both instantly drew back from each other. Link dashed at the Bulblin, thrusting his sword. The Bulblin redirected Link's attack, and punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground. The Bulblin jumped into the air, and came down on Link, with his sword pointed. Link rolled to the side, avoiding the attack, and took advantage of the Bulblin's situation, as he had his sword stuck in the ground, by slashing at him. Link managed to cut the strap on his body armor, causing it to fall off. The Bulblin regained his blade, and charged Link, swinging down on him. Link blocked the blow, but slid back by the force of the attack. Link pushed back against the Bulblin, knocking him slightly off balance. Link rolled to his side and sprang up, spinning his sword as he went. He struck the Bulblin's side, causing it to stumble away from Link. The Bulblin raised his sword out in front of itself, holding it parallel to his body. Link realized by its stance, that it meant to unleash a special technique. Link answered the Bulblin's stance with one of his own. He held his sword behind himself, having it parallel to the ground.

"Let us recognize each other by our finest moves." it said.

Thunder illuminated the sky it he spoke these words.


	19. Chapter 18: Separated

**Chapter 18: Separated**

~~~Auru sped the caravan toward the East, and away from the tragic scene of battle. With Darmani captured and Link missing, things were bound to get worse for them. The reason behind the attack of the Bublins was shrouded in mystery. The rain and wind further hindered their progress, and with the possibility of the lightning becoming worse, it seemed that they would have to find somewhere to camp soon.

Darmani struggled greatly to break free of the bonds that held him down, but the steel-enforced net proved to be too tough for him to overpower. The Bulblins, now already off their boars, began moving Darmani to a boar. Their inhuman chatter was as noisome as it was incomprehensible. Darmani, determined not to be captured, attempted again to break free, gaining movement of his arms. He swung his arms ferociously, knocking one of the Bulblins that was helping to carry him, to the ground. All of the Bulblins began to viciously beat Darmani with their clubs to subdue him. After they had finished, Darmani was riddled with bruises, and had little strength left, only enough to breathe. They bound him to a boar, so tightly that he could only wiggle his toes and fingers, and led him off as they rode to the East.

Link and the Bulblin both stood, poised to employ their finest skills. They stood completely still. Neither rain, nor wind was able to make any part of them flinch. They stared each other in the eye, watching each other for any movements. Time and space seemed to be at a stand still around them as they stood. Lightning flashed through the air, followed by a thunder that shook the heavens. At the sound of the thunder, both had begun their attacks. Link spun his blade with unseen agility, spiraling toward the Bulblin. The Bulblin commander lunged for Link with ferocious might, as his sword cut through time and space. Both their swords greeted with a clash, and then a blinding flash of light. Link ceased spiraling, stopping behind the Bulblin, as the Bulblin ended his attack. Both stood with their backs turned to each other, once again at a stand still. Thunder once again boomed.

"Your power is genuine…" The Bulblin fell to the ground, bleeding from a grave wound it received from Link across its belly. Link stood straight, facing the falling rain with his eyes closed.

Zelda sat at the back of the caravan, looking into the distance as they separated themselves from Link and Darmani by the miles. As she watched, she saw a bright flash of light in the distance, followed by the clang of steel. If the battle didn't end after they left, it was evident that it had ended now. What plans the Bulblins had in store for them were beginning to become more and more sinister as she thought about Darmani's capture and Link's disappearance. She noticed that the other caravan, with the threesome inside, sped beside theirs. Zelda ran to the front of the caravan to see what was happening. When she got to the front, she saw Uryan standing outside of his caravan, facing them.

"Listen to me!" he spoke, "We are going to find a place to camp soon, to shelter ourselves from this unfavorable weather! Follow us as we will guide you!" He walked back into his caravan. The caravan pulled in front of theirs, as it led the way.

Link noticed that the Bulblin commander had left his boar near them. It was almost as if it was Link's award for beating it. Whatever the case was, he now had a means of transportation once again. Link began to slowly approach it, fearing that any quick and loud movement would undoubtedly startle the beast, causing it to run away, leaving Link behind. Link was careful not to step in any deep puddles of water as he got near. Once he reached the back of the boar, it grunted loudly, and shook its head wildly. It, then, began to shake its whole body, trying to get the excess water off of itself. Link held him mouth, as he almost yelped in surprise. Once the boar had calmed down, Link seized the opportunity, mounting the boar. It bucked furiously, and began to run in circles, trying to shake Link off its back. Link held on firmly, attempting to gain control by pulling the reins against the boar's movement. After a moment, the boar ceased activity, accepting Link as its new master. Link, with his newly acquired steed, raced off into the distance, heading to the East.

The Bulblins that led Darmani came to a stop, as they entered what was a base camp of sorts, with makeshift watchtowers, and tenements that filled the area. Many Bulblins and boars of all kinds occupied the camp. Darmani was led by a group of Bulblins through the camp, stopping at an exceptionally large tenement. A group of three men proceeded from the tent, followed by a large Bulblin, adorned in armor, and a horned helmet. The three men all wore cloaks that were black. They shared an uncanny similarity to Uryan, Eroraf, and Nid, with the exception that they didn't conceal their faces. They all looked less than thirty years old. They also had intricate tattoo markings on the cheeks of their faces. The one on the left had blonde hair, the middle one had orange hair, and the last one had brown hair.

"Where is your commander?" asked the Bulblin that was behind the trio.

"The commander gave us orders to capture anyone that we could, as he was battling the Hylian Swordsman." one of the Bulblins replied, standing on ceremony.

"And, is this the Goron of their group?" asked the orange haired man.

"Yes sir." said the Bulblin.

The blonde haired one walked to Darmani, closely examining him. Darmani glowered at him. "What do you plan to do to me and my friends?!" he yelled, attempting to move.

The nearby Bulblins raised their clubs to chastise Darmani again. The blonde haired man intervened, raising his hand to stop them. He met eyes with Darmani. "What do you know about where your comrades are going?" he asked coldly.

"Do you think that I would sell my friends just like that?!" Darmani yelled, once again squirming as if to break free.

"Tie him up somewhere safe for now. He's too excited to be interrogated. Once Gorons become heated, it takes a while for them to cool." he said uninterestedly, as he turned to walk back to his group.

The Bulblins led Darmani away.


	20. Chapter 19: True Meaning

**Chapter 19: True Meaning**

~~~"Alright, now that everyone is here, let's get this meeting started."

Twelve Castle Guard Knights sat around a round table, having their attention focused on a General, who was standing up, facing rest. Viscen was among these twelve. This was their weekly briefing on the current events of the Kingdom of Hyrule.

"Before I brief you all in what events have recently transpired, shall any of you give an account?"

Viscen had much to tell them about what had recently happened with Link. He scanned the table to see if any of the other Knights had anything to say. Since no one said anything, Viscen stood and saluted the General. "I have information to disclose at this meeting by your permission, sir!" he said.

The General saluted Viscen. "Permission granted." The General sat down.

"Three days ago at sunrise, I came across a startling discovery," he began.

The other Knights at the table leaned forward, apparently interested.

"In the local tavern, Telme's bar, a friend of mine, a former Castle Guard soldier, was looking through the mercenary's bulletin board, when he found a post about a mission concerning a search for the Triforce."

"The Triforce?!" one interrupted.

"Isn't that forbidden, to search for it?" said another.

"Well, technically it's just an understood precedent, but it was never written in law."

"We will have order in this meeting!" exclaimed the General. "Continue, Commander Viscen."

"I advised him on considering that mission carefully, telling him the risk that would come with it."

"And did he take the mission?" the General asked.

"Yes sir, but he first had an audience with the Princess of Hyrule, Her Majesty."

"How were we not notified?" he asked.

"The meeting was declared on short notice, only the guards in immediate contact were advised to be on protocol."

"I see."

"The details on the audience that took place between him and Her Majesty remain secret, not even I know what was discussed. The day after that, he left with the members of the mission, reportedly heading south. If they are after the Triforce, they must be seeking the Spiritual Stones."

"Is this all that you have to report?" asked the General.

"Yes sir!" Viscen saluted, and then took his seat. The General stood again.

"Now I shall inform you all that there will be a Patriarch taking residence in Hyrule Castle for an undisclosed amount of time. He hails from the Tribe of the Ranul. Please keep an eye on his safety and be diligent in putting on the finest example of a Knight of Hyrule."

"Yes sir!" they all resounded.

"Also," he began, with a grim tone of voice, "Stay alert for any more suspicious activities. I will acquire more information concerning this incident. Expect another meeting soon. Knights..."

All of them stood.

"Dismissed!"

Link rode on boar-back furiously through the surmounting storm. Rain and wind sought to oppose him, as lightning and thunder sought to bring him fear. He knew he could not stop riding, or else he would lose the fading trail of his comrades.

Darmani sat in a tent, bound by chains on his arms, feet, and a large wooden bracer on his neck. The chains were so tight, that they allowed him little movement at all. A single Bulblin sat on a bench in the tent, carefully watching his every move. In addition to the physical torture Darmani had endured, he now had to sit and think regretfully of the dangers that Link and the rest faced. There was no doubt in his mind that whoever was holding him captive, was actively looking for the rest of them. The blonde haired man that questioned him earlier had also troubled him.

_'What do you know about where your comrades are going?'_

The look in his eyes when he said that was not one of a sane man. He had an increasingly powerful look of lust in his eyes. Darmani knew that he must endure whatever torture they plan to put on him, if he wanted to spare his friends the fate he has now.

The caravans began to slow to a stop as they approached a group of trees. Once within them, Nid, Uryan, and Eroraf proceeded from their caravan, gracefully landing on the ground. Everyone also exited the other caravan as well, to meet them.

"As we know, being near trees isn't the safest place to be in a thunderstorm, but it is the safest choice we have when it comes to hiding from potential enemies."

"Are we going to look for Link and Darmani?" Zelda asked.

"No, Shiek. It would indefinitely put us all at risk. The best way to go from here is to wait for them to catch up while we're here. If they don't come by the time we leave, then they will be assumed dead."

Zelda's face became pale upon hearing the prospect of Link and Darmani being dead. Even though Link was declared the Chosen Hero that title didn't save him from death. And Darmani faces an even stronger possibility of dying, since the Bulblins captured him. All Zelda could do was to wait for the Goddesses to give her the answer.


	21. Chapter 20: Another Variation

**Chapter 20: Another Variation**

~~~Viscen stood at attention along side other Castle Guard Knights. Viscen and the commanders stood in front of a great line of soldiers as they lined the carpeted walkway that led to the throne of the King. A horn sounded, and all of the soldiers slammed the hilt of their lances onto the floor, in perfect unison.

"Command," started the General, "About face!"

Viscen and the other eleven commanders turned around and faced the walkway, looking straight ahead. From just outside of the throne room, a large man appeared, wearing a mysterious mask of steel over his face. He also was garbed in an immense robe that left no part of him revealed. Two other robed men, who held black paper umbrellas over the masked man to cover him from the intense rain, accompanied him. The hoods on their robes concealed their faces. As the masked man entered the throne room, the guards that stood at attention near the King slammed the hilt of their lances.

"Now presenting, the Supreme Patriarch of the Tribe of the Ranul!"

The King, dressed in regally designed armor and a blue cape with fur at the end, stood up. The Patriarch stopped at the steps that proceeded to the throne.

"I am pleased to finally meet you, Supreme Patriarch," said the King, giving a half smile to the masked man.

"I am pleased to be allowed to have an audience with Your Majesty," said the Patriarch. The presence of the Patriarch brought a sense of oppression and insanity about the throne room. Viscen was very unnerved by this man.

"I understand that you wish to engage in talks about having your tribe ratified into the Kingdom of Hyrule, is that correct?"

"That is right, Your Majesty."

The King grabbed his sheathed sword and slammed the bottom of it at his feet. "My twelve Knights of Hyrule, escort the Supreme Patriarch to my private chamber."

The Knights snapped their feet to attention. "By your command!" they all sounded simultaneously, and then formed up around the Patriarch, and led him out.

Though the rain was intense, the group of trees that they camped under stopped most of the drops from hitting them. Auru had started a campfire to dry their clothes by and to keep them warm. The dark clouds concealed the sun's position, making it near impossible to tell what time of the day it was. Zelda sat in the back of the caravan, watching beyond the horizon to see if she could see anything. Strangely enough, she still felt the presence of the one that seemed to be following them since they left the forest. How he managed to keep pace with them through the open meadows of Hyrule field was startling. Suddenly, a small image appeared on the horizon. Zelda sat up, shocked by this. She jumped out of the caravan and called out to the others.

"Everyone, look! Over here!"

They all rushed to her to see what she saw.

Link, as he rode through the now muddy field, saw a small light through a group of trees. As he rode closer, he began to make out the images of what was a group of people standing at the edge of the woods. Zelda, Auru, Mikau, Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf all waited to greet him. However, he didn't see Darmani. Link came to a stop near the caravans, and got off the boar.

"Link, you made it!" Zelda said running to him.

"What happened to Darmani?" Link asked.

Zelda's eyes fell. Auru and the rest walked to him.

"Darmani was captured," said Nid, blatantly.

"Captured?!" Link exclaimed.

"Yes, the Bublins took him by surprise," said Auru gravely.

"We need to go after him then!" Link said, walking to the boar.

"No, Link, don't go," said Uryan.

Link stopped and looked back. "What are you saying, we should just leave Darmani to die?! We can't let that happen!"

"I know that it's hard to take this knowledge, but the fact is, we don't know how many, or how well trained they are. We would all be captured if we pursued him," said Uryan,

Link said nothing, looking very frustrated.

"We have decided to wait and see if he makes it back to us while we wait here for the weather to get better. We are your employers, so we make the rules. Do not forget that." Uryan, Nid and Eroraf walked away, entering their caravans. Link remained silent; his face frowned.

"Don't worry Link, Darmani is no weakling, he will make it to us. Just wait for now," Auru said, as he patted Link's shoulder and walked back to the camp.

"Link, we will find away to save Darmani, trust me," Mikau walked away also.

Zelda and Link stood in silence. Zelda had no words to properly ease Link's conscience. Link was no longer frowning, but he remorsefully stared beyond the horizon. Suddenly, an object flew from the sky, striking the ground. It was a Kunai (throwing knife) that had a paper tied to the handle. Zelda picked it up and read it.

_"Meet me on the western end of this grove."_


	22. Chapter 21: The Uncanny Truth

**Chapter 21: The Uncanny Truth**

~~~The King's private chamber was a gigantic room, with the main piece of furniture being an extremely long table that was able to seat at least three dozen people. One side of the room had many windows that revealed a dreary scene of the rain descending on Castle Town. The twelve Knights stood at attention between the intervals of the windows on the wall. On the other end of the room, nine cloaked men stood as living statues, wearing black hooded cloaks, circular mask of steel on their faces, and what appeared to be steel gauntlets, barely visible underneath the flowing sleeves of their cloaks. The Patriarch sat at the middle of the table, facing the King, who was opposite to him. On the King's side of the table, the General, four of the King's advisors, and the Chief of the Sheikah sat. On the Patriarch's side, eight other robed men sat with him, wearing mask similar to the one the Patriarch wore. Viscen was eager to witness what was about to take place.

"To begin our discussion, what would be your reason for wanting to become a dissolved people of our Kingdom?" asked the King.

"Our tribe has traveled far to serve the Chosen People of the Goddesses. The oracle of our tribe long ago foresaw our destiny to this land. To fulfill the will of the Goddesses, we will go to any length."

One of the advisors narrowed his eyes at the explanation.

"Your oracle seems farsighted indeed. What duty would you intend to carry out?" asked the King.

"Our oracle has recently seen that the Chosen Hero of Hyrule has been awakened. This event signals the coming of an evil that will threaten this Sacred Land. In any way, we would like to help the Kingdom maintain the sanctity it once held."

"You say your oracle has seen the awakened Hero?" said one of the advisors, adorned in an orange and brown monk robe. His expression was grave.

"Yes, our oracle has seen the Sacred Hero," said one of the masked men.

"How much of this matter does your oracle know?" asked the Chief Sheikah.

"At last meet, that was the extent of his knowledge," said the Patriarch.

"How will your tribe provide help?" asked the General.

"With our prowess in the magic arts, and farsighted knowledge, we shall protect the castle from danger, and provide your majesty and your majesty's council with the best information we have," said the Patriarch.

The Chief Sheikah wore an intimidating expression. "Best information? By your oracle?" he asked with skeptic sarcasm.

"Not only by our oracle, but by our spies. Our presence in Hyrule is not generally known, making it easier to move in the shadows. Even now our spies are hard at work gathering information," said the Patriarch with a confident tone of voice.

"Impressive. Very well then, we will grant your tribe free reign in Hyrule. My council and I will debate over this issue. In the meantime, I expect a thorough and deft job from your tribe, Supreme Patriarch." The King stood from his seat. "My Twelve Knights of Hyrule, escort the Supreme Patriarch and his party to their quarters."

"By your command!" The twelve Knights led the group out of the chamber.

Zelda picked up the Kunai and examined it. It was a Sheikah made model. That fact almost verified that their pursuer was a Sheikah. Zelda searched the area. The three hadn't exited the caravan, and the rest sat near the campfire. The Shiekah's request for a meeting was timed just right.

"Link, follow me." Zelda said.

Link nodded and followed Zelda. She led Link around the grove's edge, avoiding contact with the trio's caravan, and with the others at the camp. They re-entered the grove after putting reasonable distance between them and the camp, and headed west. They eventually came upon a clearing near the edge of the grove. They stopped and scanned the area for their chaser.

"Well done up to this point, Princess of Hyrule."

Zelda and Link traced the voice to a figure in the treetops. He jumped to the ground from the grove's canopy, and approached them. He was dressed in a Sheikah-style body suit that was red and white in color. Wraps were on certain areas of his body such as, his forearms, thighs, and torso. He had his face concealed with a white facemask, and his hair covered with a white clothe that was tied around his head. He had no weapon that was visible. His eyes were blood red, just like Impa's eyes were.

"Who are you?" asked Link, readying his hand to his sword.

"I'm also impressed with your skill in combat as well, Chosen Hero."

Link was taken aback. "How do you know about that?" he asked.

"I've been following you all since you left Castle town. It wasn't until this morning that Her Highness caught on to me."

Link lowered his hand from his sword.

"So you were tasked with me by the Chief Sheikah?" asked Zelda.

"Yes, Your Highness. Please do not be offended."

"No, I'm actually relieved that someone is watching over us."

"What do you want from us if you bothered to drag us out here?" Link said, growing impatient.

"That impatience of yours is going to get you killed one day..."

"What did you-?"

"I was going to tell you how to find your friend, Darmani, and about your next destination, but..."

"You know where Darmani is?" Link said, hope returning to his expression.

"Now, now, I never said that I knew where he is, I just know how you can find him." the Sheikah said, pompously.

"Well, what is it? Stop toying with us!"

"Promise that you won't have another outburst and I'll tell you."

For a moment, silence prevailed.

"...Fine, I promise," Link wearily gave in.

"Good. Now, the best way to find Darmani is to go to Kakariko Village and seek their advice."

"Kakariko Village, the village of the Sheikahs?" Zelda asked.

"Yes, Your Highness. They have a web of intelligence spread around Hyrule. Anything that happens, they will know about it. They will give you the information you need to seek your comrade in the best way possible."

"How will we find the way there?" asked Link.

The Sheikah pointed at Zelda. "Her Highness knows the way."

"But how will they know to open their doors for us?" she asked.

"Like I said, they have a web of intelligence around Hyrule. They already know about your circumstances, believe me."

"And what of our destination?" Link asked.

"Death Mountain is under a civil war as we speak. There was a division of powers within the Goron tribe, causing them to war with each other. It is very dangerous right now to ascend the mountain, but with Kakariko Village's help, you'll know what to do." The Sheikah looked around briefly. "It looks like our time is running short. Farewell Princess of Hyrule, and Link," He looked Link in the eyes. "You may find that Kakariko Village is more of a home than you think."

Before Link could question him on his last statement, he had already disappeared into the trees again. It seemed that he knew something about Link that Link didn't even know.


	23. Chapter 22: Trial

**Chapter 22: Trial**

~~~Four Bulblin grunts led Darmani across the camp by very thick and heavy chains. Darmani knew that they were getting prepared to interrogate him. His only worry was how much torture he would be put through. Darmani was led to an area where there was thick vegetation that concealed what was within them. Darmani was brought through the thicket by a path that has been commonly traveled. When they made it through the growth, the three men he had seen earlier that day stood before him, as well as the Bulblin that was with him. The four Bulblins that led Darmani came to a stop, and picked up steel stakes that lay on the ground. Each of them nailed the stakes into the ground, between the links of the chains, to bind Darmani from movement.

"Good afternoon, Goron. I trust that everything is fine for you?" asked the orange haired man, sarcastically.

Darmani was silent, starring at the ground.

"Cheer up! Everything's not so bad. After all, you could be dead," said the one with brown hair, also with a touch of sarcasm.

He wore a freakish smile as he said that. Darmani stayed quiet. The man with blonde hair approached Darmani and knelt to him, looking him in the face.

"Happy or sad, you will answer my questions this time, that you will do," he stated maliciously. He stood up and walked back to his group. "Now then," began the blonde, "Where are your comrades going to?" he asked.

Darmani still spoke not.

"I will ask nicely only once more. Where are your comrades going to?" he inquired again, his expression cold.

Darmani looked up to him. His expression was of one in pain. "I will not give my comrades to you. What do you plan to do with them?" he said, furiously.

"I do believe that I am the one interrogating you. Learn your place." He nodded his head, signaling to the Bulblins that held him. All four of the Bulblins raised their clubs and began bludgeoning Darmani, mercilessly inflicting as much pain as their will could manifest. After a minute, they relieved Darmani. He now had numerous bruises on his body. He was also bleeding from his mouth.

"This pain you are enduring is unnecessary. It could be over in an instant, all you must do is answer me," he said.

Darmani noticed what his eyes darkened as he said that. Whoever, or whatever they were, he knew that their purpose was ill intended.

Viscen had checked out of his station and prepared to retire for the day. The clouds were immensely deep, concealing the sun's position, but the hue of gray in the clouds was of a dark color, suggesting that it was sunset. So much had happened in the castle today that it was hard to immediately comprehend it all. As Viscen walked through the castle, he saw the General coming his way. Viscen stopped and saluted him. The General returned his salute.

"Commander Viscen, I've some more information concerning the events you informed us about," he said.

"What information is it, sir?"

"According to the Chief Sheikah, former guard Link and the group he is with have already retrieved one of the Spiritual Stones, from Kokiri Forest."

"So they are after the stones, sir?"

"From what it seems, yes. There is also another find that you must swear to secrecy to."

"On my honor, I shall take to oath," answered Viscen.

"I have also learned that former guard Link is the Chosen Hero."

Viscen was taken by surprise with this. To think that Link would actually be the one to save Hyrule. "S-sir, did you say Chosen Hero?" he asked, in disbelief.

"Yes. Word has it that Her Highness is with them."

Viscen was further surprised. A member of the Royal Family was actually putting herself in the forefront of danger for Hyrule.

"They are headed to Death Mountain as we speak."

"Isn't a civil war happening there, sir?"

"Yes, I'm curious to see how they plan to get the stone from the Gorons, especially now that they war with each other."

"Is there any other news, sir?"

"There is nothing else for now at the moment. I'll inform you if anything else comes up."

The General saluted. Viscen saluted also. They both parted from each other.

Link and Zelda sat in the back of the caravan, looking out in the distance. Link was troubled by the Shiekah's parting words. He couldn't understand what he meant by Kakariko being his home. For as long as he remembered, he lived in Castle Town. His landlady had given him a given him a place to stay there so he wouldn't have to live the streets.

"Link, when should we tell them about giving to Kakariko?" Zelda asked.

"I'd say that we wait till the morning," he said.

Zelda saw that Link was in thought. "Link, what is worrying you?" she asked.

"Everything. Darmani getting captured, the Goron's civil war, Uryan and the rest, nothing seems to be going well."

"Remember what Uryan said? He told us that your transformation resulted from your negative emotions. You shouldn't worry so much."

"I know that worrying won't change anything, but its hard not to focus on it."

"Hey you two,"

Zelda and Link saw Auru walking to them.

"We just made dinner, want some?"


	24. Chapter 23: The Ghost of the Past

**Chapter 23: The Ghost of the Past**

~~~Husband and wife stood outside with their Child as they watched the advancing soldiers slowly coming toward them. Their torches pierced the night and brought a sense of terror with them. The Child clung closely to his mother's leg, fearful of what was about to happen. The Child's father spoke to his Wife, telling her to run. The Wife grabbed her Child's hand and ran off. The Child attempted to resist his Mother's desperate pulls, reaching for his Father. As the Child was being pulled away by his Mother, he saw his Father fighting the foes that came before him. Despite his valiant stand, the Child's Father was struck down in the worst of ways before his own Son's eyes…

* * *

Link's eyes instantly flung open. He wanted to scream, but his voice failed him. This was the first nightmare he had had since the night before he met Princess Zelda. Even worse, he could make no sense of it. He sat up, wiping the sweat from his face and then quietly got up to look outside the caravan, careful not to wake anyone up. The rain from yesterday continued to fall, unwilling to die. He re-entered and put on his gear, and walked out to the field. The clouds of the sky were broken up into pieces. The rising sun was visible, sitting just above Death Mountain. Even though the clouds were scattered across the sky, the rain continued to persist.

_"Why would I dream up something like that?"_

He searched his memory, mulling over every moment in his life he could recall. Nothing he could remember would even explain why he would have such a dream.

_"Nothing makes sense anymore!"_

Link put his hands on his head in painful thought. He suddenly felt a sharp pain on his right shoulder. He saw that his wound from yesterday's battle was slightly bleeding through the bandage. So much had happened yesterday that he hadn't even given much thought to his wounds until Auru noticed during last night's dinner. The wound also reminded him of Darmani. Whatever he is going through, it's probably much worse than what Link had had to deal with.

_"I hope Darmani can hold on till we find him..."_

Link turned back toward the caravan. "I guess I should go fix my shoulder," he mumbled.

Darmani was fading in and out of consciousness, feeling increasingly numb from the grievous wounds he had been forced to bear through the night. An unknown force was holding him up as the three men continuously questioned him into the morning.

"Goron," began the blonde haired man.

Darmani struggled through the pain to look him in the eyes.

"What makes you fight against us so to defend your comrades? Do you not care about dying?"

Darmani cracked a smirk. "It is the pride of a warrior to defend his brothers with his life. For me, there could be no greater end. That is what the Gorons hold to heart." he spoke.

The blonde was clearly annoyed by Darmani's bold remark. "I see. If the pain of death does not break you, then we must give you a gift that far surpasses death and pain."

Darmani marveled at his statement. _"A pain worse than death?!"_

The blonde raised his hands. The other two followed suit. They chanted a phrase in tandem. A blue light began to glow in each of their hands. The light gave off a ray that concentrated on Darmani. Darmani was suddenly free of his pain, and he noticed his wounds disappear.

_"I'm...healed?" _Darmani was disturbed by their random act of charity. It made no sense for them to nearly kill him, just to heal him.

"I'd suggest you not think to hard on why we did this and just take it at face value." said the brown haired man.

"Take him back to his holding place!" commanded the orange haired man.

Darmani was left wondering why they healed him, as the Bulblin grunts led him away.

Viscen had just finished reporting in to his post, when he had gotten a message from the General saying that he had called another meeting. _"He must have found some substantial information to have called another meeting."_

Viscen made way to the eastern end of the castle to the defense tower, the location of their meetings. When he got there, all the other Knights were already assembled, as well as the General. Viscen seated himself among the other Knights at the round table.

"Now that Commander Viscen has arrived, the meeting will commence. First, I shall ask that you all take to oath concerning the things that I'm about to tell you."

All of the Knights stood. "On my honor, I shall take to oath!" they all sounded. The Knights sat down again.

"Good. Now, According to the Chief Sheikah, the group mentioned in yesterday's meeting was indeed after the Spiritual Stones. Two days ago, they acquired the Kokiri Emerald form Kokiri forest. They are now headed to Death Mountain." The General paused, apparently gathering his thoughts. "Among the group, is the Chosen Hero, who was mentioned in the discussion between the Supreme Patriarch of the Tribe of Ranul and the King of Hyrule, His Majesty. Another among them is the Princess of Hyrule, Her Highness."

Some of the Knights gasped at this revelation.

"According to his majesty, after much debate, his majesty allowed Her Highness to go covert with the Chosen Hero. His Majesty also reported that she foresaw the coming of the Chosen Hero, and that she was called to journey with him by the Goddesses."

"Excuse me, sir, but, how much of this is actually truth and legend?"

"I've never heard of a Goddesses speaking to someone."

"Order! I will not have my Knights speaking out of line!"

The Knights were subdued by his words.

"Now, according to his majesty, her highness and the Chosen Hero had originally formulated a plan having a Sheikah spy follow the Chosen Hero's movements. The Sheikah who was commissioned to that detail disappeared, shortly after. No form of contact was able to reach him. His Majesty ordered that another Sheikah would follow Her Highness's movements, to keep her from harm." He paused once again. "Recent information reports that one of their members was captured by an unknown party. Their role in these developments is unknown as well. That was the last of the recent information. Any questions?"

"Yes, shouldn't we help the Chosen Hero and Her Highness?" asked one of the knights.

"No, we cannot do that. Deploying our army would be an unwise move, considering the fact that there are guests from another land here, and that doing so would expose our weaknesses to them as well as compromising the Chosen Hero and Her Highness's situation. Anything else?"

No one responded.

"Alright then, I will call another meeting when something comes up. In the meantime, keep a close watch on the Supreme Patriarch. Do not utter anything that we discussed here, understand?"

"Yes sir!"


	25. Chapter 24: Onward

**Chapter 24: Onward**

~~~"Kakariko Village? What made you think of that place?" asked Auru, astounded to hear Link's suggestion.

The group stood near the two caravans as they deliberated on what they would do next.

"Well, Shiek was telling me about it and how the people there can provide information about Death Mountain and Darmani's location." Link said.

"The Sheikah live there, don't they?" asked Eroraf.

"Yes. It is also my home town." she said, holding a sincere look to sell her lie.

Auru frowned slightly. "So they would be willing to let us into the village because of you?" he asked skeptically.

"That is right." she said, blankly.

Auru and Zelda exchanged analytic stares.

"I don't see a problem with that. We can accomplish two of our problems that way," said Mikau, to break some of the tension.

"Hmm. Mikau is right. We need all the help we can get in order to insure success with this next mission," commented Nid.

"Then it is decided. We will go to Kakariko Village next. Sheik, I assume that you know the way, don't you?" said Uryan.

Zelda nodded.

"Let's clean up this camp, and leave. We don't want to make it easier for any potential enemies to find us." said Eroraf, walking to his caravan, along with the other two.

Link, Auru, Zelda, and Mikau cleared out any obvious traces of their stay. The rain would likely wash away any small traces that they missed. Soon after, they boarded the caravan, and Link mounted his newfound boar, and they rode off.

"King Bulblin sir!" yelled a Bulblin grunt as he ran with full speed toward King Bulblin, and the three robed men.

"What is it? This had better be something of worth to report!" said King Bulblin; his face frowned.

"The reconnaissance team has reported that the commander that led the attack on the two caravans has been defeated by the Hylian Swordsman that he fought!"

King Bulblin grunted loudly, shaking his head in disapproval. "Is the commander still alive?!" he barked at the grunt.

"Y-yes, King Bulblin sir! He is barely able to move!"

The orange haired man smirked when he heard this. "He's alive? Good, now he can finish what he started." he said.

"No! He will not! He must be punished for such a great failure!" yelled King Bublin, furiously.

The brown haired man shook his hair, shaking the rain off of it. "There's no need for such extremes, he can barely move, as they said."

"But he can't just fail and get away with it!" King Bulblin protested.

"King Bulblin," began the blonde haired man, "Your obnoxious ignorance is beginning to irritate me. You work for us. As long as that is the case, you will heel to our demands, is that understandable?"

King Bulblin frowned, as he began to speak, but he stopped short as he met eyes with the blonde. The Bulblin shivered, his eyes widening as he stared into the insane glare of the blonde. "Y-yes sir! He will be given another chance!" the Bulblin spoke, fearfully.

"That's good. In an hour we will tend to his wounds, grunt. Leave us now." spoke the brown haired man.

The grunt, still shell-shocked by the surrender of his King's will, snapped to attention and scampered away. The brown haired man looked to King Bulblin, who was broken in wits.

"King Bulblin, we must ask you to leave our presence for now. We have much to discuss privately, if you will."

"Yes, sir!" With that, King Bulblin marched away; his shoulders slumped.

"Do you think it's really a good idea, to provoke the Patriarch's hand like this?" asked the brown-haired man, looking at the blonde.

"Those fools are blind pigs, who rely on the action of others to fulfill their desire. Someone as pitiful as that does not have any power. We will succeed in our plan..."


	26. Chapter 25: The Heel of the Mountain

**Chapter 25: The Heel of the Mountain**

~~~As they rode through the Valley of Death Mountain, they spotted a fortification up the mountain. Since the torrent of rain, the mountains poured out its excess, causing many streams to run down the face of the mountain. As they came nearer to the fortification, it revealed itself to be the gate to Kakariko Village.

"This place seems as if it was battered by war," noted Mikau, who came from within the caravan.

"It is... Sixteen years ago, Kakariko Village became involved in an uprising against the King of Hyrule. The Sheikahs of Kakariko put up a near-indomitable fight, but the might of the Hylian military proved to be too much, even for them. Kakariko Village was overrun by Hylian soldiers, and its people suffered greatly," explained Zelda, looking solemnly at Kakariko.

Auru scanned the village. "The location of this village was strategically chosen, high enough to see most of Hyrule, while being protected by the terrain of the mountain. The Sheikah were truly masterminds of warfare," said Auru.

Zelda looked up the mountain, witnessing the grandeur of Death Mountain's immense scale. _"With the addition of the Goron's civil war, getting the Goron Ruby won't be and easy task..."_

They stopped in front of the giant gate that served as a gateway to the village. Five Sheikahs appeared before their convoy, dressed in similar attire to that of the Sheikah that Link and Zelda met yesterday. They approached Auru's caravan. "What business have you here?" inquired one of them.

"My name is Shiek. I have come seeking advice on my journey from the Village Chief." Zelda spoke.

One of the Shiekah's eyes widened, as he scanned through the convoy. The Sheikah that questioned them, made a gesture to one of the others, and the Sheikah disappeared. "Welcome, Shiek. The Village Chief will see you. I trust that you know the way?" he asked.

Zelda nodded. The sound of shifting gears began, followed by the opening of the gate. Auru continued the caravan into the village. Many houses spanned across the village. While the war's effects were visible on the outside of the village, the village itself was seemingly teeming with life, not bearing any scar of war. Many of the townspeople bore the Shiekan red eyes and white hair. They were going about their daily lives. They all took in the exclusive sight.

"Take in all you can. This is a rare chance to see the village of the Sheikah." said Auru to Mikau.

Ahead of them, a house that was built of wood lay.

"_That must be the Village Chief's house_," thought Zelda.

Link followed close behind the caravan that held Auru, Mikau, and Zelda. Even though he had never been to the village of the Sheikah before, he somehow felt familiar with it. He remembered what the Sheikah spy said to him:

_'You may find that Kakariko Village is more of a home than you think.'_

He couldn't help but think that he might have been on to something when he said that. Link had also noticed how people seemed to look at him as if in disdain, mainly the elderly.

_"Why are people looking at me like this? Could the war have something to do with this?"_

He noticed that the caravan began to slow to a stop. He rode his boar up to them. "Is this the place?" he asked.

"Yes, Link. Get ready." said Auru.

After they had parked their caravans, a Shiekan woman led them to the house. Based on how she was dressed, she was apparently a servant. She stopped them at the door. "Please everyone, I would ask that you'd take of your shoes before you enter," she said as she bowed to them.

Everyone did as what was commanded of them, and took of their shoes.

"Thank you. Please follow me." She led them through the house. Paper walls served as the boundary for rooms, and the floors were of tatami. Beautifully crafted vases and other such furnishings added an air of sanctity to the house. They stopped in front of the sliding doors that led to the main sanctum if the house. "Please, I would ask that you'd only speak to the Village Chief if he asked of you to." The servant slid the door open. Inside was a large open room with a mahogany wooden floor. Seven green cushions were placed adjacently on the floor in front of a man that sat on a cushion with his knees. He was a man that seemed to be of the age of fifty. He had long white hair, blood red eyes, and wore a robe that was blue and white in color.

"Please, sit." said the man, gesturing his hands to the floor cushions.

They all took to their seats.

"I am the Village Chief. I hear that you have something to ask of me. What is it that you seek?"

Zelda bowed before him. "Village Chief, I wish to council you concerning our journey to Death Mountain and a comrade of ours that is captive." she said.

The Village Chief narrowed his eyes, starring down Zelda. "You wish to retrieve the Goron Ruby from them?"

"Yes sir."

"The Gorons are in the middle of a civil war as we speak. Our knowledge indicates that a member of the Goron's council suddenly gained unprecedented powers about six days ago, being able to perform feats of magic not possible by the hands of the Gorons. He garnered enough support to create a faction that opposed the Tribe Leader. Within an hour, all of the tribe had been engulfed in war, lasting for half a day, before the faction retreated. They currently reside deep within the mountain. A day later, strange black creatures began appearing all over Death Mountain. They even began blocking the Goron trade route, destroying anything going out, or coming in. Small skirmishes have since occurred, but no major battles have been waged as of yet.

"The Goron Ruby is still in the Tribe Leader's possession. If you wish to have it, he may give it to you, likely after you have assisted him in taking back his tribe. The Tribe's leader and his party reside in the east side of the mountain. If you run into a Goron, it would be wise not to attack or approach until it is confirmed whether he is friendly or an enemy."

The Chief paused, closing his eyes for a moment. "As for your comrade, Darmani, he is captured by a group of Bulblins, employed by three strange men in black robes and strange tattoos on their faces."

Nid gasped slightly.

"They have apparently been keeping their camp at the base of Death Mountain, concealed within the wood line. Darmani has been tortured by them, as they questioned him concerning your whereabouts-."

"Darmani's been tortured?!" interrupted Link.

The Chief frowned at his outburst. "Link, please respect my house! I will not have you interrupt me when I am speaking!" he yelled.

Link became subdued. He bowed to him. "Please excuse my outburst."

The Chief nodded. "I would suggest that you'd wait a bit until we have further information on his situation. By later today, we should have better information on his situation. Until then, you will take residence in my household."

Suddenly, the servant that led them here appeared before them again. "Please follow me. I will lead you to your rooms."


	27. Chapter 26: Heritage

**Chapter 26: Heritage**

~~~It was evident that the Village Chief's manor was larger than its outer appearance first gave hint to. There were enough rooms to hold all seven of them individually. Once Link got to his room, he found that his bags had already been unloaded and placed in his room and that his shoes had been cleaned and polished. His room was furnished with a futon and a small end table made of mahogany polished wood, with a paper lamp resting upon it. Link smiled lightly.

_"This is a pleasant surprise, to be able to sleep in a bed for once."_

Link took off his clothes, save for his under garments, and, as he prepared to toss them on the floor, a white haired maid peeked her head into the room. "May I take-!"

"Ahhh! What are you doing?!" Link shouted, covering his body with his undone clothes.

An awkward silence filled the room for a moment.

"Please excuse me! Sorry sir!" the maid said with a heavy blush, bowing her head, "I was asking if you needed me to wash your clothes."

Link frowned, with slight embarrassment. "Yeah...I guess that's fine, but don't just barge in next time!" He handed her his muddy clothes.

"Thank you sir!" The maid bowed her head again, and then closed the door.

Link put on a white robe and fell back on his futon, sighing. "Hope that doesn't happen again..." he muttered.

Link exited the Village Chief's manor to take a look around town. He was given a kimono with hakama (kimono trousers) and sandals to wear around the village. The sun shone merrily down upon the village, and a cool mountain breeze blew through, combing Link's hair and soothing his weary body. As he walked through town, it became more and more evident that some of the villagers did not enjoy Link's presence. He came upon a group of children playing a game with a ball.

"Hey, mind if I join you?" Link asked, with a friendly smile.

The children looked at him skeptically at first, and then they smiled. "Sure mister!"

For a while, Link played with them, until a woman approached him. "What do you think you are doing?!" she shouted, clearly angry.

"Is there a problem, ma'am?"

She snatched the ball from his hands, and then stood between him and the children. "You Hylians all think you can run us because we serve you, don't you?! Get away from these children!"

Link was shocked at the woman's fury. He hastily walked away.

_"'You Hylians?' Does this have something to do with that conflict, sixteen years ago?"_

As Link walked on, he was suddenly impeded by a Sheikah warrior that appeared before him.

"Link, follow me!" The Sheikah began walking.

"Huh? Wait, what's happening?" asked Link as he followed him.

"The Village Chief has summoned you!"

The Sheikah slid open the door and stepped aside for Link. Zelda was sitting inside, as well as the Chief. The fact that no one else was present meant that the Chief knew who they were. Link took his spot near Zelda.

"Greetings, Link. I should tell you now that I already know who you and 'Sheik' really are. I have met your guardian, Your Highness."

"Please, you do not need to use honorifics with me, Village Chief."

"If that's the way you want it. Anyway, I must tell you directly what we know of your employers. Firstly, we have confirmed that they do not hail from our fair kingdom. Though we have yet to confirm who they are or where they came, one strong guess is that they come from a Tribe called the Ranul. Word has it that the leaders of that tribe are at the castle as we speak, dealing with the King concerning membership into our kingdom."

The Village Chief cleared his throat. "Also, when we unpacked the caravans for everyone, we could not enter into the caravan that belongs to your employers. There was some kind of barrier erected upon it. None of our warriors were able to break it. Whatever they are hiding, it is very secret, and they would not take any risk to have it revealed."

"I knew they were hiding something. They have never let us share anything with them," added Link.

"The Shiekah's intuition never fails..." said the Chief.

Link perked up at what he said. "What do you mean?" he asked him.

The Village Chief's expression became grave. "Link, I think it's about time that you knew who you really are."

Link's heart skipped a beat. _"Know who I really am? What does he…?"_

"Link, I want you to listen with care concerning what I am about to tell you."

Link could tell that by the serious look on the Chief's face, he wasn't kidding. He nodded, agreeing to his request.

"Good. Long ago, you used to live here, with your mother and father..."

* * *

"Jenardei, what is happening?!" yelled Yafal, the husband of Jenardei. She held her child, Link, close to her as she stood at the door to their house, looking out into the darkness.

"Hylian soldiers, as far as my eyes can see! They are coming this way!" he replied, as he stood outside the house, spying beyond the village, along with the rest of the men of the village.

"What should we do?!" she asked, quivering with fear.

Link began shaking slightly from the cold, and from the unease that the wind brought through the night. He clung closer to his mother's leg.

"Quickly, take the horse in our stable and make flight to Castle Town!"

"No! I can't leave you here to die!" she protested with extreme emotion.

"Listen to me!" said Jenardei; turning to face her, "I would not be forgiven by the Goddesses if I let you and Link die here! It is my greatest gift for me to die, protecting you! Go!" He turned away from them, and then ran to the head of the town, along with the rest of the men.

"DADDY!!!" shouted Link, tearing up from his eyes. He reached out for the fleeting image of his father's back, but he reached in vain. His mother picked him up, and ran to the stable and got the horse. As they rode up the path, out of the village, they could see the intense battle raging on between Jenardei and his comrades, and the soldiers of Hyrule. Within minutes, the soldiers of Hyrule overran the village. Yafal and Link managed to escape with their lives.

* * *

"We all fought bravely, but we were no match for the sheer numbers that Hyrule had. They built a prison beneath our town, where they held us. We were tortured in hideous ways, as they inquired of us if we were traitors to the Throne or not. Most of us escaped with our lives, but many others also died. The King who led the attack was not the one who rules today. The King of that day was the King of today's father. He was insane, and was highly paranoid, thinking that we were plotting to overthrow him. After the conflict had ended, he was found assassinated a day after he officially declared peace among the Kingdom. His advisors hired an assassin to kill him, knowing that he would lead Hyrule into further trouble if he remained,"

"And what became of my mother?" asked Link, slightly shaken by the Chief's story.

"Your mother and you safely made it to Castle Town, and, since she wasn't as Sheikah, she was able to blend in with the rest. However, you and your mother were severely poor, and she had to work very hard to keep a roof over your head. She eventually died of exhaustion, throwing you into a state of shock, immense enough to destroy the memory of your life up to that point. Since your father was actually my brother, I had a contact of mine in Castle Town find you and give you a place to stay, which is the place you live now,"

Link thought back to his landlady's appearance. "...No wonder her eyes were red..." he muttered.

"Link, and Zelda,"

The two looked to him.

"I will tell you more on your situation later on today. For now, I have given you both much to think about already. I suggest that you take it all in before our next meeting,"

The maid that Link met earlier appeared before them. She led them out.


	28. Chapter 27: Resolve

**Chapter 27: Resolve**

~~~Link lay on his back in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He was struggling to come to terms with what he just heard from the Village Chief. _"I can't believe that I am actually a Sheikah..."_

He didn't know how to cope with the knowledge that his parents were both dead, because, as much as he wanted to cry, he couldn't bring tears to his eyes. _"My parents did all of that to save me. I wonder if they actually knew who I would turn out to be,"_

Suddenly, Link heard a tap on the door. He sat up and prepared himself for whoever was about to come in. When the door slid open, the maid walked in. "Excuse me sir, but would you like to take a bath in the hot springs to clean yourself off and relax?" she asked.

Link raised his eyebrows. "Hmm, that sounds good! Where is it?"

"Follow me,"

She led Link through the house and out of it through a way that he hadn't been through. They followed a path that was lined by all sorts of exotic and extravagant plants, until they passed through a line of trees. Within the trees, was a gigantic pool of hot water, the hot springs that the maid mentioned. Even without being in the water, Link was already being warmed by the steam that leaped from the waters surface. The maid handed him a towel and a white robe with bathing garments to go with it.

"Please enjoy the hot springs sir!" she bowed, and then walked through the trees.

Link quickly changed into his bathing clothes. "Finally, a little relaxation!"He stepped into the water, easing him in as he adapted to the heat of the spring. Once in, he lay back against a stone in the pool, and closed his eyes. As he lay there, he heard the noise of moving water, as if someone else had gotten in.

_"Oh, no," He_ slowly opened his eyes to see the maid sitting in the water across from him. "Gaahh! What are you doing here?!"

She giggled. "This spring is open to anyone who lives here, not just you," she said, with a smile.

"But if you're a maid, aren't you supposed to be doing something?"

"Like what?"

"...Like maid stuff..."

"I only need to take care of you. There are plenty of maids around the manor,"

Link narrowed his eyes at her. "Really?" he said, sarcastically.

"That's right! But, that's not the real reason I'm here..." She lost her smile. "I overheard your conversation with the Village Chief. You are his brother's son, aren't you?" she asked, looking hopefully at him.

Link was somewhat confused as to why she wanted to know. "Yes, I am,"

"I knew it! You're Link, the one I used to be friends with when I was little!" she said, with a beaming face.

_"She knows me?!" _"I used to know you?" Link asked, becoming even more confused.

She began moving closer to him. "Yes, we used to be best friends. Just try to remember, I know you couldn't forget me!" she said. She stopped moving toward Link when she was within arms reach of him.

Link closed his eyes to think. He searched hard to remember her in his past. He could not even remember her name. Link opened his eyes remorsefully. The girls face fell as she saw his expression. "I'm sorry... I can't remember who you are,"

She looked down, almost as if she was going to cry, but then she looked up again, smiling. "Don't worry, we'll get to know each other again, and maybe your memory will eventually come back!"

Link smiled, and nodded at her suggestion.

After the hot springs, Link was called back to the Village Chief's sanctum for a continuation on their meeting. Zelda was present as well. Link once again, sat at his spot.

"Have you had good thought about what I told you, Link," he said.

Link noticed that a sheathed sword lay in his lap. "Yes, I have,"

The Chief smiled. "Good," he said, "I have one more thing concerning your father that I must tell you. He had a dying wish that he wanted me to fulfill the day that I met you as a man. He wanted me to bestow upon you the sword of our family, the Ogenbard,"

He momentarily paused. "That sword is the one I have in my lap. It is the final wish that my brother had. He said that he would pass on complete when he witnessed the day that his son would take up this blade for the good of all people," The Chief held the sword out in front of himself. "Chosen Hero of our people; take this sword in hand,"

Link was speechless. He did not expect to be held in such high regard as this by the Village Chief, or anyone for that matter. They had complete trust in Link. He was accepted as the one who would save Hyrule, even before he knew that he was the Chosen Hero. Link walked in front of the Chief and grabbed the sword from him. He noticed that the handle of the sword was a deep crimson color.

"Your father used this blade the day he died trying to save the village. The handle was soaked in his own blood, as he continued to fight, even through his mortal wounds. Unsheathe the blade,"

Link did as commanded of him and pulled the sword from its sheath. It was crafted of silver, and the emblem of the Sheikah was engraved in the blade. The scabbard was shaped like an up-turned crescent moon and was colored a deep purple.

"This sword is the finest of all Shiekan weaponry. It is the pinnacle of our craftsmanship. Do the blade justice and satisfy its need for duty."

Link nodded, and sheathed the sword, and took his place.

"I have one other thing to tell you," he began, "The Bulblins that are holding your friend, Darmani, are located down the path that you came. They make their camp at the base of the mountain. It is also reported that the three men who are with the Bulblins are preparing to torture him even more tonight, with horrible methods. We are preparing everyone we can to mobilize as soon as mid night, tonight-."

"Midnight?! But Darmani could be dead by then!"

"Calm down Link, do not doubt our abilities. We will see that he is safe."

"But how can you assure that?"

"Link, we will control this situation. You just need to let us help for once, is that clear?" he asked.

Link hid his frustration by pretending to be remorseful. "Yes, sir."

"Good, you both are dismissed."

Link got up to walk out.

"Link,"

He stopped walking.

"Do not go down the path of revenge. It will sadden your father and mother's spirits."

Link walked out.


	29. Chapter 28: Midnight

**Chapter 28: Midnight**

~~~The eyes of the sky, the moon, shone luminescent through the window, silhouetting Link's body. Dressed in his battle gear and tunic, he was prepared to embark on a covert mission to save Darmani.

_"I know it's against your wishes, Village Chief, but I cannot stand aside..."_

Link left his room.

Once outside, Link made haste to the stable and found his boar. As he prepared to mount it, he heard footsteps behind him. Link quickly turned. The person behind him was his maid. She looked worried. "Where are you going, Link?" she asked.

Link was surprised that it was her, expecting a guard of some sort. "I can't tell you, and don't tell anyone about this," he said, climbing to the top of his boar.

"I heard your conversation with the Village Chief. You're planning to save your friend, aren't you?"

"What are you, a stalker?!" yelled Link, growing frustrated.

She quickly looked away from Link, trying to hold back tears.

_"I shouldn't have said that." _"I-I didn't mean to say that..." Link said, "It's just that, I've been under a lot of stress lately..."

She brought her hands up to her, holding them together. "Ever since I thought you were gone, I have had nightmares over the years about you leaving, or meeting some other horrible fate. I was constantly haunted by the memory of you, even though I hadn't seen you for sixteen years." A sudden stream of tears fell from her eyes. "You may be the Chosen Hero, but you don't have to do this alone. You have friends to depend on, don't do this alone," she said, with a shaky voice.

Link felt his body quivering as he felt a dark cloud of sorrow come over him. He tried to control his body, but he was unable to suppress it. _"What is this I'm feeling?! I-I feel like crying... I've never felt like this!"_

In all of Link's broken memory, he had never felt the rush of emotion that he had now been feeling. He felt the sorrow of a person who had lost a great piece of his soul he can never recover. This girl had not seen him in sixteen years, and yet, her faith and trust in him was as strong as if they had been with each other for a lifetime. Maybe he lamented because he had now way of showing just how grateful he is to have someone like her as a friend. Link suddenly felt a tear well up in his eye. He blinked to hold it back.

"I never asked for your name. What was it?" Link asked her calmly.

She looked up, surprised that he'd ask something like that. "My name is Medi," she answered.

Link smiled lightly. "Thank you for being here for me... I don't know how I can make it up to you."

"Just come back to the village safe and with your friend," she said, smiling.

Link nodded, and prompted his boar to ride, and faded into the night.

The silver shine of the moon revealed the landscape for Link as he glided down the mountainside. He was gripping tightly to the reigns of the boar, riding as fast as he could to Darmani's rescue.

_'You have friends to depend on, don't do this alone.'_

Link sighed. _"I want to depend on everyone, but, living alone all of these years, I have grown used to being alone, not having many friends. This is something I must do on my own."_

Four Bulblin grunts led Darmani through the base camp. He knew that the time had come for him to once again endure tremendous pain as he was being interrogated.

_'I see, if the pain of death does not break you, then we must give you a gift that far surpasses death and pain.'_

Darmani noticed that the Bulblins were not leading him to the thicket, as they had done yesterday, but were leading him up the mountain on a path.

_'I'd suggest you not think to hard on why we did this and just take it at face value.'_

After a few minutes, they made a turn on the path, going toward a cliff.

_"I feel as if, some kind of terrible fate is coming..."_ Darmani thought.

As they came near the cliff edge, the three men came into view, standing side-by-side. Looking out, the majestic figure of Hyrule Castle stood in the distance, being lit by the moon. The Bulblins stopped in front of the trio with Darmani. Darmani noticed that the markings on their face shone a bright blue color. The two Bulblins behind him hit the back of his legs with their clubs, bringing Darmani to his knees.

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" said the brown haired one.

"Yes, the moon is full and bright. A fine night to refine our magic, I think," said the orange haired man.

Darmani was deeply disturbed at how casual they spoke in the midst of what was taking place.

"So Darmani, will you tell us what we want to know?" asked the blonde haired one.

Darmani knew the terror that he might have to be put through by saying no, but defending his friends was an honor that he would not give up. He smiled. "No."

As Link rode on, he began to see what appeared to be the orange glow of fire in the distance, in a group of trees of the mountain base.

_"Is that it?"_

Link snapped the reigns of the boar, causing the boar to ride faster than before.

_"Hold on Darmani..."_

Link approached the line of the trees slowly with his boar. As soon as they came upon the wood line, Link dismounted the boar, and moved forward into the trees. He began to see a camp, with many tents, fighting equipment, and boars. The presence of Bulblins made it clear that this is where Darmani was taken. Now he needed to find out where Darmani was being held. He climbed a tree and sat on the branch of it, observing the area. There was a tent to the far side of the camp that was significantly longer than the rest, and had two Bulblins sitting outside of the entrance to the tent. If he had to bet on where Darmani was, his money would be on that tent.

Link jumped to the ground and moved quietly around the wood line, moving around in the woods to avoid moving into the camp and being exposed. He eventually came upon the tent, but he knew he still had to get inside. Since the tents were made of a cloth material, he planned to cut an opening in it. It would be a gamble, but the chances are, no one would be inside. Link slowly approached the tent and unsheathed his father's sword. He made two, quick and silent slashes to the tent wall, and the cloth fell to the ground, making a triangular opening. Link peeked inside, and immediately saw a Bulblin sitting on a stool with its back turned to him. Link sneaked behind it and slashed its throat, releasing its black foul blood from its veins. Free of the Bulblin, Link scanned the tent. There were three men who had their hands tied to their backs, but no sign of Darmani.

"Mister, have you come to save us?" whispered the man nearest Link.

_"If only they knew I didn't..."_

"Yes, I will save you all," he said. Link cut the ropes from their hands.

"Thank you. We are grateful to you," they said.

"No thanks needed. I have one thing I must ask though. Was there a Goron being held here?"

"Yes, sir. They took him away just a few minutes ago."

"Do you know where?"

The man that told him shook his head.

"I see... Go through the woods and follow the direction of the moon. You will come upon Kakariko Village. Hurry," Link whispered to them.

They all ran out of the tent and into the darkness. As Link began to walk out, he heard the shriek of a Bulblin. Link quickly turned to see a Bulblin standing at the entrance to the tent, yelling something in a strange tongue. Link's presence was compromised.


	30. Chapter 29: Near Death

**Chapter 29: Near Death**

~~~Darmani's refusal to give in to the demands of the three echoed and boomed like the mighty fist of lightning. Darmani knew that he would probably regret his decision later on, but it was the right thing to do. After all, his pain would only be temporary, compared to the torment in his mind if he sold out his comrades.

"Hmm, your Goron pride is as strong as it was yesterday," remarked the brown haired one.

"This is a waist of time, he won't give in, so we should just kill him now," spat the orange haired man.

The blonde gave the other two a stern look of disapproval, and then focused his attention to Darmani. "If that is how you want to answer us, then fine. We are well prepared to force the information you have from your mind."

The blonde looked to the other two and nodded lightly. The Bulblin grunts stood aside, as the three positioned themselves around Darmani's person; one to his left, on to his right, and one behind him. Darmani closed his eyes tightly as he braced himself for whatever torment they were about to inflict upon him. They began chanting in a monotonous, haunting pattern, in perfect unity. Darmani felt as if he was beginning a downward spiral down a hole, becoming more and more terrified by the chilling way the uttered whatever twisted language they spoke. Then, without warning, the chanting suddenly ceased.

_"Is-Is it over?"_

Darmani slowly peeled back his eyelids, to see what happened to him. What he saw was not any bodily harm done to him, or anything else peculiar. Suddenly, a figure faded into view. It was a Goron child, smiling with joy at Darmani.

_"Can it be?"_

The child looked familiar to him, to familiar. As he was studying the child, his attention suddenly snapped to a cloaked figure proceeding from behind. It came to a stop midway between Darmani and the Goron child, and then he faced Darmani.

"Is this... your child?"

Surprised by the assumption, Darmani inspected further the child. He wore Darmani's family heirloom, the black pearl necklace; the exact one that Darmani was wearing. It was as the figure stated; it was his son.

"Y-yes! That is my son!" he yelled.

The figure's hood fell back, revealing its face. It was the head of a lizard, a Lizalfo. It smiled at Darmani with a wicked grin. "That's too bad," the creature said, revealing its ravenous, hungry teeth.

"NO!!! DON'T DO THIS TO MY SON!!!" Darmani attempted to jump at the Lizalfo, but he found himself bound by some unknown force. He yanked his arms and tugged his feet, desperately trying to reach the fiend that advance toward his beloved child, but in vain effort. The Lizalfo grabbed the child's neck and lifted him to its wretched face. The Goron child's legs flailed as he clung to his life, feeling his lungs retracting beyond imagination as the creature choked him. The Lizalfo opened its mouth and swallowed whole the child, leaving nothing but the blood that sloshed about in the Lizalfo's mouth.

"MY SON!!! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO HIM!?! WHY NOT ME!!!" Darmani's breathing became labored, his eyes widening beyond capacity. Then tears suddenly ran from his eyes. He attempted to blink the tears away, but when he opened his eyes, it was not the menacing figure of the Lizalfo that he saw, but a rough and rocky battlefield where hundreds of Gorons were running in a group toward something. _"Where...am I?"_

Link unsheathed his sword, the Ogenbard, and prepared himself for the coming wave of Bulblins, starting with the one that stared him down across the tent. The Bulblin raised its club for attack, and then charged Link. As it swung downward, Link stepped slightly to the right to avoid the blow, while following up with a thrust. His silver blade sank into the Bulblin's chest, as it cried in pain. As soon as its body went limp, he kicked the carcass from his blade. Bulblin chatter sounded all around the tent.

_"I need to get out of here!"_

Link ran through the makeshift entry he made in the tent and into the woods. As soon as he stepped out, the tent burst into flames. He stumbled as he saw the scene.

_"That was close...but I still need to find where Darmani is being held!"_

Link ran a wide course through the woods, taking care of not being seen by any of the Bulblins that scrambled throughout the camp. He came upon a tree, eventually, that was climbable enough for him to observe the camp from the outside. He made his ascent with ease, and sat on a level branch. The first thing that caught his attention when he scanned through the camp, was a particularly large tent colored in purple and gold.

_"That must be, if anything, where they have him!"_

Before Link could act, an arrow zoomed by his face, hitting the tree. The one who fired that arrow was a Bulblin archer who stood at the bottom of the tree, preparing another arrow. Link jumped from his branch, and landed on the Bulblin, planting his sword through its head.

_"I've got to be more careful!"_

Link knew that the only way to the tent was to go straight through the camp, since the tent was nearly in the middle of the camp. "Well...here we go!"

Link unbuckled his shield and ran headlong into the camp. Every Bulblin in sight immediately caught sight of Link's charge. The Bulblins that charged Link numbered nearly a dozen. Link stopped abruptly in place and held his sword behind him, parallel to the ground. At the height of the moment, when the Bulblins had just stepped into Link's range of attack, he made a quick pivot with his right foot, and began to spin at an incredibly fast rate. His spin was so powerful, that the air around him blurred as the wind began circling him as if he were the center of a hurricane. Every Bulblin in his range was reduced to nothing; not even a trace of them remained. When Link came to a stop, the ground around him was marked with a spiral pattern. Link looked up to the rest of the Bulblins that stood by. They all shrank back in fear of him. Using this moment of opportunity, Link made a dash to the tent as the Bulblins stood in awe at what had happened.

Once inside the tent, Link saw nothing but piles of paper and books that littered the area.

_"Darmani isn't here either!"_

"Are you looking for the Goron, swordsman?" said a deep voice.

Link quickly turned to see an axe, already in full swing, coming at his face. Link fell back to the ground, barely dodging the edge of the weapon. The wielder of that axe was a very large Bulblin, wearing black and grey armor all over itself, and a helm that had horns coming from the top of it. Its face was similar to a human, but its skin was green, as were all Bulblins, and was horribly disfigured. The Bulblin made another swing, vertically at Link. He rolled to the side, and sprang to his feet. "Do you know where he is?" asked Link, preparing for anymore sneak attacks.

The Bulblin snorted. "Yes, I know where he is. Ask me if I'll show you and I will say no!" The Bulblin tried to knock Link off balance by hitting him with the end of the axe, but Link blocked with his shield, sliding back a little. Link swung at the Bulblin, but it ran outside. Before it exited the tent, he glanced back at Link, as if challenging him to come outside.

_"I know he may try another trick on me, but he is the only answer I have!" _Link ran outside. As soon as he passed through the exit, the Bulblin's axe came again, horizontally at Link's face. Link dropped to his knees, sliding under the attack, and slashed the Bulblin's legs as he went. It yelped in pain, as it grabbed the wound with its hands.

"If you don't want to die, then tell me where he is!" demanded Link.

"Heh heh heh heh... Just because your sword touched some flesh means that I'll give in? You take me far too lightly!" The Bulblin suddenly went into an attacking frenzy, swinging fast enough to create a blur about itself. It reached Link before he could react, and knocked Link off his feet. Link was slashed across his chest. Link held his bloody wound as he struggled through the pain to regain his footing.

_"This Bulblin is no joke... He's very crafty, and more powerful than the previous ones that I have faced."_

Link stood his ground and held his sword upright, parallel to himself. He was going to try the move that the Bulblin commander he fought used.

"You really want to die, don't you? Then here you have it!" The Bulblin leaped high into the air, high enough to defy its extreme mass it boasted, and held its axe over its head as he came down upon Link. Link leaped up after him, holding his sword parallel to him. As the two crossed paths, they both landed at the same time, backs facing each other. Link suffered a cut on his forehead, while the Bulblin kneeled to the ground, with a large slash across his torso, breaching his armor. "Impossible... You cut through my armor... NOW YOU'VE DONE IT!!!"

As the Bulblin charged, a bright flash came from the mountain, causing the Bulblin to stop in its tracks. "They've already begun, huh..." it muttered.

"So that's where he is!" Link began swiftly running to the path that led up the mountain.

"Hey you can't leave me!!" yelled the Bulblin. It tried to give chase, but the wound he suffered held him back.

Link ran up the dark path of the mountain in high hopes of finally finding Darmani there.

_"What was that flash? I hope Darmani can hold on..."_

Link finally came upon what seemed to be a dead end, but the silhouettes of eight figures were there. Four of the figures began running toward him. They revealed themselves to be Bulblins, armed with clubs. Link spun around as he ran, quickly dispatching all four of them with ease. He continued on until he reached the other four. Darmani was among them. He was on his knees, slumped over as if he were either sleeping, or dead. The former was not the likely one. He quickly matched eyes with the other three figures. They were garbed in black cloaks, but their faces were not concealed. They had markings on their faces that glowed blue. They also had hair that was orange, blonde, and brown.

"What have you done to Darmani?!" Link yelled angrily.

"Before that, who are you?" asked the brown haired one, calmly.

"Answer me! What did you do!?!" persisted Link, gritting his teeth as an angry wolf would.

"He would not give us what we wanted, so he is now suffering the consequence of his actions," said the brown haired man.

Suddenly, a black and red aura appeared around Link. "You will die for this..." Link muttered, as he began to become enveloped in darkness.

The three stepped back, bewildered at what was happening to Link.

"You will DIE!!!"


	31. Chapter 30: Vulnerable Mind

**Chapter 30: Vulnerable Mind**

~~~Hundreds of warrior Gorons ran and rolled along side each other atop the barren cracked and scorched earth. Looking up, Darmani saw the peak of Death Mountain, fire and brimstone jutting from its angry mouth. The ground below him shook and trembled violently, as if the world around them was prepared to fall apart to nothing. Suddenly, Darmani found himself floating around, above the scene of the army of Gorons. As he levitated over-head, he caught sight of a particular Goron. It was himself, running in an angry rage toward an unseen target. A moment later, the focus of the Gorons became clear. An enormous dragon-like creature emerged from the sea of flames that lie before the legion of Gorons. The Gorons called it Kaiser Dodongo. Every breath it took, flames swept clean any Goron that stood in its way. Every step it took cracked the ground, which it laid its feet upon. Even its eternal glare shook the confidence of even the most daring of the Goron warriors. Darmani's counterpart managed to reach the monsters gigantic body, and began to scale it. The other Gorons who were fortunate enough to have made it to the creature did as Darmani did. The creature viciously shook its body, attempting to knock off the Gorons. Again, Darmani's position shifted from focusing on him, to viewing another familiar Goron.

"It's...my father!" said Darmani to himself.

Without warning, the Goron that was Darmani's father was struck by molten rock that fell from the sky, blowing him to pieces.

"No. What is happening to everyone...Why them?!" Again, with the blink of an eye, Darmani was faced with another new scene. A dark, dank dungeon with all sorts of torture devices set around. The bodies of many lay in a gruesome pile, with maggots and other insects and insect larvae crawling through the corpses. Darmani lay among them. "Ahhh!"

Darmani yelled in horror as he struggled to get free of the morbid feeling of rotten flesh. An unseen force once again, bound him. Suddenly, the scream of a man sounded, catching Darmani's attention. The man he saw was strapped to an X-shaped cross, with two men in gray armor, wearing helmets, standing to either side of him. He recognized the man to be Link.

_"Why is Link in a place like this?"_

Darmani was reminded of the death that he lay in.

_"They plan to kill Link!"_

One of the two men raised a sword and brought it down on Link, completely severing his left arm. Link's cry of pain drove Darmani over the edge. He wanted to yell for Link, but found no such voice to do so. Link squirmed in pain as they used a dull blade to saw off his other arm. Darmani began shaking uncontrollably, as tears poured from his tormented eyes.

The aura of darkness that covered Link suddenly dissipated, revealing Link's other form: Dark Link. The wind reacted to his immense power, swirling about his person.

"What are you?" asked the orange haired man.

"I am the embodiment of your death."

Immediately after Dark Link's lips finished the last word, he disappeared and reappeared behind the orange haired man, striking him down to the ground with his Ogenbard now darkened with the evil that emanated from him. A blue ball of light suddenly hit dark Link, flying off the mountain. With a flick of his feet, Dark Link redirected himself from falling, flying up into the air. The brown haired one leaped from the cliff, and created a translucent sword from magic. He quickly brought his sword down on Dark Link, but Dark Link blocked it swiftly with his own sword, and shifted to the man's side, slashing his side. Before Dark Link could react, he was kicked in the face by the orange haired man, knocking him back. The kick was empowered by magic, giving it extra power. As soon as Dark Link recovered, a barrage of light balls came at him from the cliff. He swung his sword vertically, sending an enormous wave of dark energy to combat the wave of light. The two attacks met with a bright flash, followed by the crack of what sounded similar to thunder. Dark Link quickly approached the brown haired man, and engaged in a sword fight, neither of them slowing pace or making mistakes. Dark Link then performed a spiral slash, launching the man from him. He slammed against the mountainside and fell to the ground. He did not get to his feet.

"You will not kill any of us!" yelled the blonde.

The air around the blonde blurred, as he swung his hands, throwing an intense volley of light energy. Dark Link brandished his sword furiously, sending wave upon wave of darkness at the blonde. Flashes and booms filled the air. Suddenly, the orange haired man took Dark Link's back, sending him flying with a vicious punch. As he flew, he hit the storm of light energy, and fell from the sky. A second later, Dark Link regained conscience again, and took flight. He slammed into the orange haired man, knocking him through the air, and landing on the ground near the cliff edge.

"Curse you! You will pay for-!" He was stopped short of his sentence, when a loud, booming horn echoed through the mountain.

"The retreat horn..." Without a moment's notice, the other two, who were knocked out by Dark Link, appeared on the blonde's shoulders, limp. "Your death will be prolonged until we meet again,"

"You're not going anywhere!" Before Dark Link could reach him, he disappeared from sight. Dark Link cursed under his breath. Suddenly, Darmani screamed with a bone-chilling level of horror. His eyes flung open, only to close again, as he fell back.

"Darmani!" Link suddenly lost his aura, returning to normal, as he ran to Darmani. He was indeed alive, but unconscious. _"He's alive. That's a relief..." _Link tried to move Darmani's heavy body, but it was of no use.

"Need help with him?"

Link turned to see the Village Chief of Kakariko walking to him, equipped in Sheikah battle attire. "Ah! Village Chief! I forgive me for going against your wishes," Link said, bowing his head in remorse.

"Do not apologize. I am actually happy that you did what you did. That proves that your intuition is just as I expected. The intuition of a warrior."

Link looked at the Ogenbard. Its silver shine was darkened by Bulblin blood.

"Your ability to save your friend by yourself proves that you are worthy of being called the Chosen Hero of the Goddesses."

Other Sheikah appeared behind the Village Chief, and ran to Darmani. They picked him up and carried him down the mountain.

"You told me not to go down the path of revenge, but when I saw Darmani the way he was when I found him...I lost my mind. I went into blind rage."

"Don't trouble yourself over that. You are just like everyone else who is a warrior, despite you title. Anyone would have sought revenge if they were faced with what you dealt with tonight."

They both stared at the full moon for a while, and said nothing.


	32. Chapter 31: Going Up

**Chapter 31: Going Up**

~~~Link's eyelids slowly opened from their slumbered rest. He hesitated as the golden light poured into his pupils. He heard the sound of a bird singing a melancholy melody outside. Link attempted to sit up, but fell back, feeling the harsh sting of the wounds he received the previous night. Link closed his eyes, trying to get through the pain he felt, when a hand touched his face. Link opened his eyes again, tracing the hand to its owner, Medi. She sat near his futon on a cushion with some medical supplies near her. The golden beams of light accompanied her brilliant smile, almost making her seem as if she were one of the three goddesses in human form.

"Link, don't try to push yourself to hard for now. You really need to rest and let your injuries heal," she said.

"Medi, why are you here?"

"You forgot already? I'm assigned to take care of you, and that even means that I'll become your nurse."

Link thought back to yesterday. _"Oh yeah... I remember..."_

The birds outside broke the silence again with their songs of sorrow. Medi looked outside toward them. "Link, did you know that your sword is named after the birds you hear now?"

Link's expression became interested. "You mean the Ogenbard?"

She nodded her head. "Ogenbard means 'Moon Song' in the ancient tongue of Hyrule. There is a legend that the Ogenbard birds saved Hyrule from being destroyed by the moon that became jealous of the sun. The Ogenbard birds sang songs of praises to the moon's beauty to quell its hot anger and to give it rest. This is an old Shiekan legend that has been passed down, so know one knows how much of it, if any, is truth."

Link caught sight of the Ogenbard, lying on the far side of the room. Someone had cleaned it for him. "I had no idea that this sword had so much back-story to it."

Suddenly, the door slid open, revealing Nid, Uryan, and Eroraf coming into the room. "I see that you're awake and fine. That's good," said Eroraf.

Link's expression became subdued. "I'm feeling better, but I can't really move right now."

Uryan smirked underneath his hood. "That won't be too much of a problem. That's why were here. We are going to heal you."

"Excuse me, maid, but will you step aside for us?" asked Nid.

She nodded as she stood up and backed away. The trio stood around Link's futon. They held their hands in front of themselves and began chanting. The chanting grew louder and louder until blue lights began to take shape around each of their hands. The blue light gave off a ray of light that enraptured Link. After the light receded, Link attempted to move to see if he was healed. He was able to sit up.

_"They healed me?! If they have this kind of power then I wonder what they are truly capable of."_

"You all healed Link that fast?!" said Medi in excitement, "How did you do that?"

"It is magic that only our tribe can perform. I'm afraid that it's not something one can simply learn," explain Uryan.

Eroraf faced Link. "Now that you are healed, you should start preparing to embark for Death Mountain." The three walked out.

"You're leaving already?" Medi said with a sad face.

"Yeah, we are kind of in a race against time here, so we really can't be spending too much time in one place."

"That's too bad..." Medi walked to the door. "I'll leave you to get dressed and ready." She slid the door closed.

Link walked out of his room, with his tunic and gear on. Someone had tailored his tunic, because it was extremely worn out before then. As he walked down the hallway, he saw Zelda walking toward him. "Hey, Shiek."

Zelda took notice of him. "Oh, Link!" She walked to him. "I heard about what you did last night. Are you alright now?" she asked, looking worried.

"Yes, I am. But how is Darmani?" he asked, gravely.

Zelda's expression became equally grave. "His body is unharmed, but I think the problem with him goes beyond that. He hasn't said a word since he has woken up, and when he did wake up, he walked outside and stood at the back of the manor, staring at Death Mountain."

_"They must have done something to Darmani's mind..." _"I'll try to talk to him about it."

Zelda nodded, and then continued down the hall.

The sky was clear and crisp, with the morning sun standing at the peak of Death Mountain. The air felt chill, but pleasant. Link walked down the path that Medi led him down the day before; only he did not go toward the hot spring, but toward the top of a hill. When he got to the top, he saw Darmani standing tall. His head was inclined, looking to Death Mountain. Link walked to him side, and stood with him. For a moment, they both stood silently, beholding the breath-taking scale of Death Mountain. The cool morning breeze wisped through their hair. Link glanced over to Darmani who stood firm and sober. He quickly searched his mind for what he should say.

"Are you feeling okay, Darmani?"

He remained silent, not even flinching from Link's question. Link turned his gaze back to the mountain. "I almost lost myself again when I thought you were dead. I can't imagine what they put you through, but remember, you have friends to depend on."

_'...Don't do this alone!' _Link closed his eyes as he remembered Medi's words.

"My son was killed before my eyes."

Link pulled open his eyes upon hearing his voice.

"I also lost my father to the beast of the mountain, twenty years ago."

Link was becoming puzzled, wondering what he meant.

"I tried for a decade to forget those memories until I forced myself into denial. I happily lived in ignorance as a care-free merchant." Bold tears ran the course of his face. "But no matter what effort, I cannot rid myself of the horrible memory of my past. Every time I close my eyes, I see the creature, whose mouth drips with the blood of my son. Every time I hear a sound, the screams of my dying brothers ring clear in my ear."

If there was ever a time when Link had no idea what to say, this was one of those times. Darmani wiped tears from his face. "Those men who captured me... They forced me to relive those times and,"

"And what?" asked Link.

Darmani turned to Link. "I had a vision of you in a dungeon. Men in armor were torturing you. It was a horrible sight that will never leave my mind." Darmani closed his eyes as he turned to the mountain.

"Do you think you can continue with us?" Link asked.

Darmani's eyes opened again. "To quit now would void all I have sacrificed. There is evil out there that must be ended and I cannot abandon my duty to the Chosen Hero." Darmani kneeled to Link.

"I am in your debt."

The caravans stood ready at the front of the manor. Link's boar was saddled up and ready along with the caravans. Link and Darmani approached the rest of the group who stood waiting.

"Are you reconciled to yourself now, Darmani?" Eroraf asked.

"Yes..."

"That's good. Now, there's one thing you two must know," began Uryan.

Medi appeared from behind them. Her face was beaming with delight.

"Medi is joining us on our journey," said Uryan.

Link's face dropped in disbelief. "Medi... you're coming?"

"You said it!"

Auru stepped toward the caravans. "Alright everyone, let's go!"


	33. Chapter 32: Ambiguity

**Chapter 32: Ambiguity**

~~~The bright morning sun graced Hyrule Castle's powerful form. The chill morning wind of the North fanned the faces of Viscen and a fellow Knight that stood at a bridge that joined the Northern Tower with the main body of the castle. They both were gazing upon Death Mountain, in the distance.

"So, how do you think they're doing up there?" asked the Knight, resting his elbow on the side of the bridge.

"You mean the Chosen Hero?" said Viscen. He put his hands on the side of the bridge. "Well, I honestly don't know. The Gorons are fierce people when they are at war. It's no easy task to retrieve something that belongs to them."

"If the legends hold true, then I believe he'll make it," said the Knight.

Link was no weakling, and Viscen knew this well. Had Link stayed in the Castle Guard longer than he did, he'd probably be a General by now. He had a natural skill for the sword that no one he knew could match.

"And also," began the other Knight, "Did you notice those flashes of light last night?"

Viscen sat up. "Flashes of light?"

"Yeah, it was the strangest thing. One flash happened and then about three minutes later, so many flashes happened that I couldn't have counted them if I tried."

"That's weird, there were no clouds last night, so it couldn't have been lightning."

The Knight stood straight. "I believe the source of those flashes were from Death Mountain."

"I hope they're unharmed..." said Viscen.

"Stand!"

Viscen and the Knight turned quickly and stood erect with their lances in hand, held point up. The General stood in front of them. He held a stern look. "Knights, come with me." he turned toward the main body of the castle and started forward.

The Knight and Viscen followed.

They arrived at the Eastern Tower and began up a spiral staircase until they made it to a room with double doors, leading into the core of the tower. They crossed a room with two couches on both sides and a large glass chandelier, and into another room. All twelve of the Knights as well as many Sheikahs were in the highly decorated bedroom of one of the King's advisors.

As they went further into the room, they saw a gruesome image. The advisor lay face up on the floor near the bed. His face was disturbed beyond recognition, and he lay in his own waste. It was more than evident that he was dead. Viscen reflexively covered his nose upon seeing the sight. _"How could something like this happen?"_

"Uh...sir, what happened here?" asked the knight who accompanied Viscen.

"One of the Sheikahs found him dead early this morning. From what it looks like, he was literally scared to death. The question now is, of what?" spoke the General.

"Sir, what are the Sheikahs doing in here exactly?"

"This must be your first time seeing this. The Sheikahs have the ability to see the unseen with the eyes they were born with. Whatever we can see, the Sheikahs are able to see ten times better. This ability is especially useful in situations like this."

The Chief of Sheikah took notice of them and approached them.

"Well, have you found anything?" asked the General.

"As of late, no. There have been no clues regarding the object of his fear," he said.

The General's face straightened. "So, who do you think did this?" he said quietly.

"I hate to speculate, but with the nature of this murder, I would say the Patriarch and his party had their hand in it,"

The General rubbed his chin. "Well, it seems I'm not the only one who thinks so,"

Viscen also agreed with this, remembering the feeling that overcame him when the Patriarch walked into the Throne Room.

"Knights of Hyrule, stand!"

All twelve Knights in the room stood at attention.

"Report to the Western Tower in one hour!"

"By your command!"

All three of them stood in the midst of Hyrule Field. The remaining Bulblins who survived the previous night's attack stood behind them, some on boars, and many without. King Bulblin was on his armored boar, wrapped in bandages from his fight with Link. The Commander Bulblin also was mounted behind the king, in a less critical condition in comparison to King Bulblin. The brown-haired man brushed his hair with his hand. "What will be our next objective, Silar?" he said to the blonde.

Silar turned his eyes to the North East.

"It's not over yet, Rakam. We still have to get some revenge for what that swordsman did to us last night," said the orange-haired man, gritting his teeth and clenching the fabric of his cloak.

"No, Ainurad, we can't stop them from getting the Goron Ruby, but there is still another way," spoke Silar.

"You plan for us to get the Zora's Sapphire instead?" asked Rakam.

He nodded his head, without facing Rakam. Ainurad looked towards Hyrule Castle. "Speaking of revenge, the Patriarch along with the whole tribe has theirs coming from us as well," he said.

"Very well..." stated Silar.

The Bulblin Commander gazed at Death Mountain, holding his wounded side with his hand. _"We shall have our final fight soon, swordsman..."_

King Bublin came up beside him, and grunted. "What are you thinking about?" he asked.

The Commander Bublin turned to him. "The swordsman who defeated me; I was imagining my rematch with him."

King Bulblin grunted. "Rematch? You have already failed to defeat him once, what makes you think you can win?"

"But did you not already lose to him once too?" said the Commander.

King Bublin narrowed his eyes. "We'll see who claims his head..." King Bublin rode ahead.

The Bublin Commander watched him go. "We shall see, won't we?"

The air seemed to be thick with smoke. Link tried his best to breathe in and out without inhaling too much smoke. Death Mountain was still an active volcano, and it proved its presence with its deadly display. The road they followed was safe enough, but it hadn't been used in a while, judging but the large boulders and patches of grass littering the path.

_"Man, riding this boar has its merits in battle but it's boring when there is no one to talk to..." _Link sighed. Suddenly, a loud and indescribable sound filled the air. He closed his ears to block the sound but even that didn't help.

_"I've heard this before..." _Link's eyes darted around, trying to find the source of the sound. He spotted something dark in the distance on the road ahead. It was a Silhouette. Link looked back to the caravans. "There's a Silhouette ahead!"

He unsheathed his sword and prepared to fight.


	34. Chapter 33: Short and Critical

**Chapter 33: Short and Critical**

~~~In classic Hylian Knight Warfare style, Link raised his shinning blade above as he prepared to meet the large, black creature. Its appearance was different than any of the previous Silhouettes that were seen in the Lost Woods. It was as large as Darmani was and had a similar body frame to him too. Like all Silhouettes, it had the ominous horns at the top of its head.

As Link drew near, the Silhouette began to charge. Its movements were sporadic and sharp. Link brought his sword down on it, but it rolled just below his reach. Instead of it turning back to attack, it continued forward, heading toward the caravans.

_"Oh no!"_

Link stopped his boar and jumped off of it. He grabbed his shield and began to charge after it. From out of the caravan, came Auru, standing up with his crossbow released its artillery from its deck, and the arrow exploded on contact, knocking back the fiend. Link looked to them as they passed by. "Go ahead, I'll catch up!"

Auru nodded as they hurried past.

The ground shook violently, being accompanied by the sound of a roaring mountainside. The Silhouette stood once again, making low, metallic hums Link made tight his grip on his sword and ran to meet it. It, likewise, rushed to him with unpredictable movements. The Ogenbard ran through the smoky air and came upon the Silhouette, but was blocked by its massive arm. Before he had time to react, the Silhouette suddenly spun around in a quick and singular motion, knocking Link back. Link jumped to his feet as soon as he could, as the Silhouette began rolling after him.

Instinctively, Link sheathed his sword and buckled his shield and prepared himself to stop it. The dust on the ground puffed and whirled through the air as the Silhouette met Link. He had stopped it from rolling.

_"How did I just-?"_

The Silhouette attempted to move again, but Link quickly lifted it from the ground and tossed it down the mountainside. Its cry echoed through the mountain.

_"We must be getting close to the one with the Fused Shadow…"_

_'Whoever is responsible for the creation of this item is probably the one who likely threatens Hyrule,'_

Link mounted his boar and rode ahead.

"This meeting will now commence," said the General, wearing a powerful expression.

"Right now as I speak, our Kingdom faces a grave danger that no other generation in history has experienced. The time we face is short and critical. As you all have witnessed, one of the King's four advisors has died. The Shiekah are working to see exactly if it was his death or murder. If this is a murder, then it will be safe to assume that it is in connection with the crisis we face.

"Early this morning, our Shiekan watchman reported that the Goron that was captured by the second party was rescued by the Hero last night. The second party fled when the Shiekah of Kakariko arrived."

One of the Knights stood and saluted the General. The General returned the salute. "Sir, who is the second party?" the Knight asked.

"The second party is, from the information we have, a trio of men who lead an army of Bublins. We currently do not know their role in this recent pool of events."

"Thank you, Sir!" The Knight seated himself.

"As of this morning, the Hero's group left Kakariko Village for Death Mountain's summit. They are close to retrieving the Goron Ruby. Our job now is to see to the safety of the King and the remaining three advisors of the Castle. Also, keep a close watch on the Patriarch and his party." The General stood at attention. "Knights…"

All of them stood.

"Dismissed!"

Zelda sat at the front of the caravan; ready for anything else that might come their way. She didn't like the fact that Link once again stayed behind to protect them by himself.

_"I certainly hope that he doesn't try to do it himself again… He might end up worse off than last night."_

"Hey."

Zelda pulled herself out of her thoughts at the call of Medi. "Yes?"

"Don't look so down, he'll make it," she said as she kept her focus on the horses she lead.

"How are you so assured that nothing will happen to him?" Zelda asked, wearing a melancholy expression.

Medi cracked a slight grin. "It's hard to explain, but, somehow, I just know that he'll overcome whatever happens to him. His life has been one tragedy after another and he has made it this far. He won't break so easily."

Zelda's eyes fell. "I know that his life has not been easy, but I fear that he has become distant from everyone because of it. He tries to do everything alone."

Medi's face fell slightly. "I know, I even told him that. I wish he would rely on us, but he's not ready to yet…"

Medi's lips curved to a half-smile. "But until he is, I'll have faith and support him."

Zelda's eyes opened a bit wider. She had known Link for almost a week, and she didn't have the confidence in him that Medi, who had only known him for a day, had, unless there is something more to Medi's relationship to Link that she didn't know.

_'His life has been one tragedy after another, and he has made it this far.'_

_"Wait, how does she know about Link's past?"_

"Medi, how do you-?"

"Look out," Medi interrupted, pointing to the road ahead. Through the smoke-filled air, a group of Gorons stood. All of them were just as massive as Darmani.

"Looks like were finally here!" said Medi.

"Don't be so sure." said Auru, stepping out of the cab, "They could be the rebelling faction."

Darmani peeked through the cab of the caravan to see what was happening. "It's the leader," muttered Darmani.

"What did you say?" asked Auru.

"That's our leader, they are our allies."

"If that's the case, then let's go!" yelled Medi.


	35. Chapter 34: Curse

**Chapter 34: Curse**

As Link continued to ascend the mountain, the smoke-filled air was beginning to become thin and cool. The constant tremors continued to shake the ground beneath him and his boar. The dirt that showed the path preserved the tracks of the caravans, guiding Link's way. Suddenly, a black boulder crashed to the ground, barely missing Link as it fell. The boulder began to spin, accelerating after Link.

_"More of them!"_

Link prompted his steed to move faster as the Silhouette picked up speed. More Silhouettes fell from the sky as Link attempted to outrun them. He began to weave along the road as the Silhouetted Gorons approached him from behind. The one nearest to him made its leap from the ground, attempting to demount him. In a split-second effort, Link ducked as low as he could, the mass of corrupted Goron brushing the shield on his back. He then turned the boar left, out of the landing Silhouette's way. Two more jumped at him from the rear left and right.

_"No!"_

Link unsheathed his sword and laid back on the boar, brandishing his sword above him as the two Silhouettes crossed him. When they landed, they exploded into black particles. The group of Silhouettes that trailed Link was at least half-a-dozen in number. He leaned forward on the back of the boar to lower his profile for wind resistance, and the potential attack from behind. On the road ahead, the path went to a junction, going east and west. From what Link could tell, the tracks of the caravans went left. As Link approached the junction, gigantic stones came crashing down on the east path, blocking access.

_"Guess I have no other choice!"_

He turned west, hoping that it wasn't a trap. In his mind, however, he knew that this was a false hope.

_"I hope I don't run into the wrong Gorons,"_

Link glanced back. The troop of Goron Silhouettes continued to trail him closely. Suddenly, from the drop-off on the left of the path, a spinning Silhouette appeared, twirling through the air. In vain effort, Link raised his shield to block it, but the massive force of the impact demounted him. He tumbled across the ground, coming to a rough stop. He looked up as his boar continued up the path. He was once again without transportation.

As he tried to get to his feet, he was suddenly yanked off the ground by something grabbing his hair. Link reversed the grip on the Ogenbard and stabbed whatever it was that grabbed him. He fell to the ground again. The thing that grabbed him was a Silhouette. It let out insane screams as it began to lose form, and then it exploded.

When Link looked around, he realized that he was trapped. At least ten Silhouettes surrounded him, cornering him against the mountainside. Even the bright late-morning sun gave no hint as to the features of the Silhouettes as they stood opposed to Link.

_"There's no way I'm making it out of this without killing everyone of them."_

The Ogenbard shone brightly in the sun as Link charged their ranks. He let out a fierce battle cry as he came upon them. They closed in on him as he cut down the silhouette he charged at. Link dodged the flurry of punches thrown at him and backed out of the mass of Silhouettes. He held his sword behind him as he prepared to use a spin-attack. They all charged him once again. Before he could release his attack, he was knocked to the ground once again by something behind him. He rolled to his back to see what it was that downed him. It was a Goron that stood among a group of other Gorons. The Silhouettes formed around the group, not in hostility, but submission.

There were, however, things about the Gorons that were strange. The limbs of each of the Gorons were black, fading to normal at the shoulders and hips. The markings that characterized the Silhouettes were also present on these dark areas. The most fearsome thing about them, though, was that their eyes glowed red, as hot as any fire made. Based on those clues, they were either on their way to becoming Silhouettes, or something else.

"We wondered who broke our blockade." said the Goron who felled Link.

_"I can't let them stop me!"_

Link jumped to his feet and prepared to attack, but the Goron gripped Link's body, with his enormous hands, and held him up. Link tried to hit him with his sword, but he couldn't even come close with the way he was being held.

"It will be better if you did not struggle," the Goron said.

"Why are you doing this?" Link yelled.

"Is this the one?"

The voice came from an exceptionally short Goron that was old in age. His belly was a very prevalent feature, being almost twice as large as his head. He had a long beard and a bitter scowl. The thing about him that stuck out the most about him was the item he wore around his neck. It was dark colored and it gleamed in the light. Its engraved markings were detailed and it seemed as if it was part of another item.

_'The problem is that this is only part of the whole thing.'_

_"This could very well be the missing part."_ Link thought.

"Yes, worthy leader," the Goron who held Link said, "However, the rest of them took the east path."

"We can deal with them later. For now, let us send them back their warrior." he replied with a half grin.

Suddenly, the light began to bend and then the area grew dark. Link began to feel like he did when he was first exposed to the Fused Shadow.

_"There's no doubt that this is the Fused Shadow."_

Particles began to take shape from the darkness as Link helplessly squirmed in the Goron's hands. Link suddenly felt angry, fearful, and an extreme want. He tried to rationalize these feelings, but he had no way of fathoming why he was angry, what exactly he was afraid of, or why he felt desire. His heart pulsated, causing Link to scream a blood-curdling tone. He no longer was able to control himself. The particles flew through the air and met Link's body.

"AHHHHHHHH!!!"

Link's body fell limp. No breath proceeded from his mouth, nor did any muscle of his twitch. The Goron dropped him to the ground.

"Heh, it looks like the human could not make it."

The old Goron looked upon Link's body with a frown. "What a pathetic waist. He can be of other use as carrion. Bring him."

As the Goron reached for Link's body, he suddenly halted.

"What is wrong, brother?" asked another Goron.

He was silent, staying fixed in position. Suddenly, Link's body faded away, and instead, Link was standing behind the Goron, with his sword through him. Link yanked the blade from the Goron's back and the being plummeted to the brown, cracked ground face down. The elder Goron gasped, taking a step back. "W-What are you?!" he shrieked.

His group of Gorons along with the accompanying Silhouettes stepped in front of him, prepared to defend him. The Goron was afraid, and with good reason: Dark Link.


	36. Chapter 35: The Price You Pay

**Chapter 35: The Price You Pay**

~~~The aura that emanated from Dark Link was subtle yet imposing. His figure was as black as the impenetrable darkness of the nearby Silhouettes; yet, he was more so like them than previously. He now had red glowing markings on his body like them also. "You said earlier that you would send me back, huh?"

The Goron elder looked confused. "What of it?" he asked.

"Well, I can walk myself."

Without warning, Dark Link appeared before the Goron, his sword raised high. As he swung down, another Goron interjected, taking the strike upon his head. Dark Link split his body in half, and prepared another swing for the elder. Before he could release his attack, a Silhouette tackled him to the ground. He used his shield to bash the creature's face, and then quickly followed it with his sword, destroying the Silhouette. As Dark Link stood once again, the group of Gorons charged Dark Link. With a pivotal twist, Dark Link spun around, cutting down every charging Goron.

"Fall back, my brethren!" yelled the Goron elder.

Dark Link gritted his teeth. "Are you so afraid to die? This is the price you pay for attempting to destroy my vessel!"

Dark Link rapidly approached the Goron, but not before he, along with every surviving Goron and Silhouette faded from local existence. Dark Link violently cursed the Gorons for having escaped. He then let out an agonizing yell. As he did this, his markings faded, and then his normal color returned. He was once again himself. He slumped to the ground immediately after his change, clenching his chest and gasping for air. He had made it out of this situation alive, but a feeling of regret made his victory bitter. He failed to take out the Goron traitor, and, he was without a ride.

The beaten path of the Western side of the mountain was further trodden by Link, determined to rendezvous with the rest of the group. He managed an easy jogging pace, despite his weathered body. It was the middle of the winter, so the air was very chill, keeping Link from becoming heated. Ahead on the winding road, he saw something moving toward his direction.

"Another one!"

Link unsheathed his sword as the object approached.

"Huh? That's-!"

"I assume that this belongs to you?" The voice belonged to the Shiekah watchman that they met two days ago. He was mounted upon Link's boar, bringing it to a stop near Link.

"How did you find it?" Link asked.

Smirking, the Shiekah said, "Down the road,"

"Shouldn't you be watching Zelda?" said Link.

"There is no need. She and the rest have reached the city of the Goron."

"They made it…good."

The Shiekah smiled slightly. "Well, don't just stand there, let's go!"

They sped up the path, pushing the boar to its limits. The Shiekah led the boar with Link as a passenger.

"So what happened?" asked the guardian, solemnly.

"With the Gorons?" asked Link.

The Shiekah nodded. Link explained the event.

"So that's it… I'm worried."

"About what?" Link asked.

"From the accounts I've heard about people becoming what they call, Silhouettes, they usually turn almost immediately on contact with dark energy. The trio saved you from becoming one last time in the forest, but this time, it seems to have affected your other entity rather than --Link, remove your gauntlet!"

"Huh? Why-?"

"Do it!"

Link removed the gauntlet on his right arm. What was there terrified him and the Shiekah. Black markings covered his hand, going up into his sleeve.

"You said the Gorons you fought were marked on their arms and legs, didn't you?" Whatever is happening to them is now happening to you."

Link quickly covered his arm with his gauntlet again. "Am I…turning into one of those monsters?"

The Shiekah sighed. "I truly don't know…"

"Link, take the reigns." The Shiekah said.

"Why?"

"You are here, at the entrance to the city. If they see me, then our operation will be compromised. Take care of Her Highness."

He suddenly disappeared from sight. What lie ahead of Link was a gigantic opening in the mountainside, was the entrance to Goron City, with many torn banners hanging from lines, bearing the insignia of the Goron Tribe. The area seemed war-torn. Link continued on into the cavern.

Inside, was just as big as Kakariko Village in size, not to mention its depth. Reflecting sunlight, as well as torchlight, illuminated the city to the point that there was hardly a place where there was darkness. The two caravans were parked at the entrance, indicating that they had arrived, as the Shiekah said. Link anchored his boar there and continued down a path that lead to carved steps, leading to the top level of the city. As he walked, a nearby rock uncurled, revealing it to be a Goron. I had no ominous marks about him, save for the Goron insignia, tattooed to his left arm. Unlike the many Gorons in his life he had seen, this one did not seem hardy like Gorons usually were. He was starving.

"Are you Link, gororo?" he asked with a trusting smile.

"Yes,"

"Goro! Follow me, brother!"

They traversed through the town of stone, passing through many hungry Gorons and abandoned homes. They came to the lowest part of the city, where a large statue of a mighty Goron stood. Its form had deteriorated and weathered from lack of up-keep. They eventually came upon a tunnel that led them into a large room, lit with many torches. The floor was covered with a plush, crimson carpet bearing the Goron insignia. Zelda, Medi, and the rest stood inside, facing a powerful looking Goron that stood in front of an even older looking statue of a Goron. They all noticed Link's presence.

"Leader, our brother has arrived!" yelled the Goron who led him.

"Thank you, brother," the leader said.

The Goron returned through the tunnel.

"Welcome, brother. I am Dumande, true leader of the Goron Tribe."

"Well met, Dumande, my name is-."

"I already know, Link," he said.

Dumande stared Link down. "It seems you have a story to tell, do you not, my brother?" he said.

Perplexed, Link said, "Not really, why?"

"I have witnessed too much evil not to identify the cursed mark on your hands."

"What do you mean, cursed mark?" asked Uryan.

Link removed his right gauntlet, revealing the curse.


	37. Chapter 36: Summit

**Chapter 36: Summit**

~~~Link, Zelda, Medi, Auru, Mikau, Darmani, Uryan, Nid, Eroraf, Dumande, and an army of Gorons made their ascent through the core of Death Mountain. Link was gripping his right arm, thinking about the danger that he now found himself in.

* * *

"What do you mean, cursed mark?" asked Uryan.

Link removed his gauntlets, revealing the curse.

"That's impossible," muttered Eroraf.

"It is all too possible. Dogoro, the leader of the traitor faction, branded many of the Gorons who defected from the tribe with these markings. Many more were turned into darkly abominations-."

"Silhouettes," interrupted Nid.

"You know of these creatures?" the Goron asked.

"Yes. We encountered many in the Lost Woods," said Auru.

"They have managed to reach farther than here?" he asked.

"They were created by a different man, not by the one you call Dogoro," Nid said.

Uryan approached Link and grabbed his arm, examining it.

"Are you able to do something?" asked Medi.

"No. Nothing we can do will save him. In about four days, the darkness inside of you will take you over and you will become something of terrible destruction and greed. Always wanting; never satisfied."

* * *

_'Always wanting; never satisfied.'_

_'In about four days, the darkness inside of you will take you over.'_

Link formed a fist with his right hand. _"In four days, I need to get to the Temple of Time with the stones or Hyrule-I will die."_

* * *

"There is a way though," muttered Zelda.

"What way?" asked Auru.

"The Master Sword is said to be 'the Blade of Evil's Bane'. It purges all evil that touches the blade. If Link were able to touch it, the darkness in him would flee," she explained.

"That's just a legend. How do you know that that would work?" questioned Auru.

"As a Shiekah, I know things about the history of Hyrule that most scholars wouldn't have any idea about. I have extensive knowledge about the Master Sword."

"If that's true, then I need to get to the Master Sword as soon as I can!" said Link.

"But to do that," Eroraf began, "We will need the Goron Ruby and the Zora Sapphire."

Dumande's eyes widened. "The Goron Ruby? Then that would explain it. Your green clothes, you are the Chosen Hero, are you not?" he said.

Link nodded.

* * *

_"If we can win this battle, then I'll be one step closer to the sword."_

Link looked up the heart of Death Mountain, seeing a spot of blue sky through the smoke and rock and exploding lava.

_"It's not a matter of 'can' or 'can't', it's 'do' or 'don't'."_

Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf used their magic to protect them all from the harsh environment that the inside of Death Mountain presented to them. The Gorons who accompanied them needed not the veil of protection, being born of the mountain and immune to its dangers.

"Link, are you ready for this?" Medi said, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah," he nodded, "The Goron Ruby will be ours if we can crush this rebellion."

Darmani approached them. "Steel yourself, Link. The horrors hidden in this mountain are not to be taken lightly."

"And remember," began Eroraf, "If you change into Dark Link, your time will be cut shorter than just four days. Keep yourself, no matter what happens."

"I know."

Dumande halted and turned to the army of Gorons. "Brothers, prepare yourselves! We have arrived at the summit! Today, we claim our freedom, our heritage! Let the rock of your warrior's spirit be tried of fire that it may burn bright by end!"

Dumande began beating his chest, letting out the scream of a crazed berserker. The rest of the Gorons did the same, psyching themselves for the battle. Darmani participated as well. Link let out a slight smirk at their display, and then joined them. Magma bursts high above them as they did this, as though the mountain's spirit joined with them.

The army of Gorons accompanied by Link and his group marched out of Death Mountain through an opening in the mountainside. Though the afternoon sun was bright in the clear day, the ash of the mountain formed a veil around the summit, making the day seem like dusk. For the altitude that they were at, the wind was serene, not like the cacophonic gale that one would expect. A path led them to the top, where the mountain's fate would be decided.

The top of the mountain was occupied by legions of Silhouettes and darkly Gorons who stood around the opening of Death Mountain's core. They were all fixed on Dogoro, who was levitating above the opening.

"Dogoro! We have come for your head!" shouted Dumande.

"Dumande, you cur. You saved me the trouble of going to you! Kill them all, my brethren!" Dogoro yelled.

"TO BATTLE!!!"

Every Goron charged after the darkly legion. Just as Link prepared to run, Uryan held his hand out, signaling him to halt.

In a matter of seconds, the air was filled with deafening war cries as both forces clashed. Dumande fiercely punched out every enemy he faced. He continually tossed aside every foe he felled, moving swiftly towards Dogoro. If he could take out Dogoro, the battle would easily be won. The trick was to get him to the ground first. In an instant, Dumande began to roll, speeding up intensely. Every Goron and Silhouette in his path was mercilessly crushed as the friction of his rolling set him ablaze, making him a destructive force.

Dumande cleared the crowd, passed the backlines of the battle, and began rolling swiftly up the incline of the very top of the mountain. Dogoro appeared not to notice Dumande's approach. He seemed to be chanting something with his eyes closed. Dumande let out a berserker's cry as he flew off the peak of the summit, clearing the great opening of Death Mountain's fiery core. A loud boom sounded as Dumande collided with the unsuspecting Dogoro. They both crashed to the ground on the other side of the point Dumande jumped. Dumande stood erect and took form to fight.

"Prepare to die, traitor!"

The chaotic sound of battle. The feeling of numbing fear. The smell of bloody deaths. They all beckoned painful memories of the horrible fights that Darmani had been forced to take part in for the sake of freedom. The very scene he hoped to forget had now, once again, been placed before him. He stood amidst the battleground, watching brother fell former brother. Each of them, fighting for the very freedom he once fought for. The very fight they fought now was the one he passed off.

What made him change? What stole his zeal for life, his urge for liberty? Was it that he chose to give it up, or was he trapped in misery? Perhaps that's why he felt an admiration for Link. He carried the weight of the future of the world on his sword, yet he pursues to the end, despite the sorrows and uncertainties he has, or will face. The fear of feeling grief was what stayed his fierce fist now.

Suddenly, a nearby Silhouette knocked Darmani to the ground. Instead of countering the beast, he simply laid there. He had lost the will to fight. It was over. Before the Silhouette could make its strike, it was struck down, exploding in particles.

"Darmani! Get up! Are you wounded!?" yelled Mikau, standing over him. Without warning, Mikau was tackled to the ground by a darkly Goron. The Goron, then, raised its fist, preparing to smash Mikau's head. Suddenly, Darmani bounded from the ground to the Goron and landed a fiery punch that sent him flying into the crowd.

"Thanks, Darmani!" Mikau got to his feet and ran further into the battlefield. Darmani finally remembered why he fought. He did so not for gratitude or for his freedom, but for the freedom of those around him.

_'It is the pride of a warrior to defend his brothers with his life. For me, there could be no greater end. That is what the Gorons hold to heart.'_

Darmani charged into the crowd, fists raised high.


	38. Chapter 37: Duty

**Chapter 37: Duty**

~~~"The Goron Ruby? Then that would explain it. Your green clothes, you are the Chosen Hero, are you not?" Dumande said, with much surprise.

Link nodded.

"The Great Deku Tree of Kokiri Forest has charged us with the task of reclaiming the Master Sword. Without it, he cannot affront this surfacing evil that plagues Hyrule," spoke Eroraf.

Dumande turned to the statue behind him. To everyone's surprise, the statue held in its hands, the Goron Ruby. Days of searching had led up to this moment.

"Will you give it to us?" asked Link in a hopeful tone.

"Yes," began Dumande, "On the request of the one who shall bequeath it to you. Like the Chosen who have come before you to take ownership of the Goron Ruby, you must prove that you deserve it."

"Let me guess, you want us to quell your little insurrection?" replied Nid, scornfully.

Dumande frowned, narrowing his glare at him. "It seems I need not explain myself then. Brother!"

A muscular and tall Goron appeared from the tunnel.

"Gather up the army. Lead them into the mountain where I shall be."

"Yes, brother." The Goron returned from where he came.

"How would you know where the traitors are hiding now?" asked Auru.

"The reason why the mountain shakes so is because of Dogoro's attempts to awaken the mountain's spirit. He must be at the peak in order to do so."

"Then that's where we need to be," said Link.

* * *

Uryan held his hand out, just as Link began to charge into battle, signaling him to halt.

"What's the problem?" asked Link.

"Remember what we discussed about your curse mark? If you run into Dogoro, you'll no doubt become Dark Link, shortening the time we have left."

"I won't fight him then!" Link said as he began to charge.

Uryan turned to him, standing in his way. "Listen to me Link. You must not fight, or even be near Dogoro. His influence on Dark Link is the same as the influence Anodro had on him. If you make one mistake, Hyrule is doomed."

Link's eyes grew wide. He gulped, realizing the danger that he had found himself in. "I understand."

Uryan stepped aside, letting Link go forth.

Dumande stood up and took form to fight. "Prepare to die, traitor!"

He flew his fist at the feeble Goron who lay on the ground. Suddenly, Dogoro blocked Dumande's punch with his hand, as if he had the strength of a Goron twice Dumande's massive size.

_"What is this?"_

"What, you did not expect a feeble old stone like me to block the punches of a cur?"

Dumande was blown back by a counter-punch from Dogoro, landing near the opening of the mountain. Dogoro stood to his feet.

"You interrupted my ceremony. Today is the day the Spirit of the Mountain will manifest itself. Your blood will be a tribute to its physical birth."

Dumande, with a single motion, went into a roll, going full speed. Dogoro was slammed by the collision, crashing into a rock formation. Dumande quickly met him again, following up with a punch that was once again blocked by Dogoro's mysterious power. Not letting himself be open to another counter-attack, Dumande continued his offensive, letting loose a flurry of punches, all of which Dogoro blocked successfully. Suddenly the ground shook, and a formation of rock jetted from the ground beneath Dumande, tossing him into the air. Dogoro leaped from his position to Dumande and grabbed his arm and spun him around in the air. Without notice, he let go of Dumande's arm and Dumande crashed into the ground.

"You will heel like a good cur and wait!"

Rock formations shot from the ground and trapped Dumande, pinning him to the ground. He struggled to free himself, but in vain. Dogoro hovered over the opening once again and shut his eyes and began chanting. The mountain began to furiously quake like never before. Jets of magma began to leap out of the mountain. Dogoro opened his eyes and smiled.

"It is time…"

"Zelda, what's going on?" asked Medi with a look of terror on her face.

"I don't know. The mountain is shaking harder than before."

"It's that Goron, Dogoro," Nid said, pointing to his small image, hovering over the mountain.

"He is using his piece of the Fused Shadow to summon something from within the mountain."

"The Fused Shadow? What are you talking about?" asked Medi.

"It's a relic that houses unspeakable power within it. Somehow, Dogoro got a hold of it," Eroraf said.

"What should we do?" she asked, beginning to panic.

"Stay here. That is the best way to stay safe and to help them," said Eroraf.

From the moment Zelda joined Link on this quest, she had undoubted suspicions about Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf. They were obviously planning something sinister by how they secluded themselves and barely communicated with them on any level other than for business. Now though, she wasn't so sure they were as evil as the appeared to be. They seemed to care for them. They have strange ways of showing it, but there was evidence.

Link would have long since been a Silhouette if not for their magic. They would have been likely captured if they didn't defend them with the Bublin ambush. Link would have been putting himself in danger with Dogoro if not for Uryan's counseling, and she and Medi would be forced to defend themselves if not for them. Maybe they weren't as bad as they seemed…

Darmani's bloody fists continued their righteous berserk on the many that opposed his comrades. His body was bruised and beaten, but the pain was little in the face of his determination. Suddenly, the constant tremors that had been happening throughout the battle became so powerful, that he, along with everyone on the battlefield, lost balance and fell.

_"What is happening?"_

Lava and ash spewed from the mouth of Death Mountain as the tremors grew more and more powerful. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't gain his footing. A loud crackle sounded, followed by a shift in the ground. The tremors were causing fissures in the mountain. Suddenly, images of his fight with Kaiser Dodongo came to his mind. It was as if everything was repeating itself again.

"Dogoro! You can't do this to us!"

Link could not get to his feet. Every time he tried, he fell again. The quakes were too mighty to overcome.

_"Something's happening,"_

_'The reason why the mountain shakes so is because of Dogoro's attempts to awaken the mountain's spirit. He must be at the peak in order to do so.'_

_"I have to stop this!"_

Link forced himself up, despite the power of the quakes. He suddenly felt as though he suddenly received a power beyond what he had. It wasn't the power of Dark Link, but something else.

_"Go, Chosen Hero… Thou hast been given courage to face me… Now I hath given thee power to destroy me… Hence forth and maketh me light work…"_

"Who said that?" yelled Link, alarmed at what he heard. Suddenly, a bright green light shone from his belt pocket. He opened it to see the Kokiri Emerald, shinning brightly.

_'Thou hast been given courage to face me…'_

_"Could that have been…the Spirit of the Mountain?"_

Loud explosions began to sound from the mouth of the mountain. The air was becoming heated and dark with the ash and flame the rose through the opening. Link began to make his way to the summit.


	39. Chapter 38: Rampage

**Chapter 38: Rampage**

~~~Link began to make his way to the summit. The mysterious power that he was receiving was allowing him to overcome the intense quakes of the erupting mountain. His body began to become enraptured in a soft white light that made his countenance appear formidable and holy. Lava continued to jet from the mouth of the mountain as he came closer to the opening. Suddenly, a stream of lava sprang from the opening, in a long tubular shape. It held its form as it coiled in the air above the core of the mountain. The sky grew dark as a bright red light illuminated the mass of lava.

_'The reason why the mountain shakes so is because of Dogoro's attempts to awaken the mountain's spirit.'_

Link stopped near the peak of the mountain to witness what was taking place. The light suddenly flashed brightly and quickly receded revealing the fate of the lava. It had become a frightening, grotesque dragon with horns like a goat, eyes like an emerald, and the body of the flames of Death Mountain. Its arms were short, but its claws were deadly sharp. It hovered above the peak, looking down upon Dogoro, who levitated beneath it.

"You have been made complete…Volvagia, Spirit of the Mountain," he said with a smile.

"Why hast thou created me, creature of the mountain?" its booming voice sounded.

"I wish for you to release your furry on those who would oppose your being, my lord," he said, trying to hold back obvious fear.

"I doth not taketh the commandments of thee, mountain creature!" it yelled, moving in close to Dogoro.

Dogoro fell slightly from his position, his eyes widening. "B-but, my lord, they wish to destroy you!"

"Do not address me so, creature! Thou hast done the unforgivable! Thou hast manifested mine spirit, and thou wilt all die for it!"

"I will not die!" Dogoro's Fused Shadow piece began to darken and bend the light around it. Suddenly, darkness came forth, attaching to Volvagia. Volvagia began squirming and flailing around through the sky as it held its face, yelling in pain. Link felt his heart pulsate as he witnessed it.

_'You must not fight, or even be near Dogoro. His influence on Dark Link is the same as the influence Anodro had on him.'_

Link backed away from the opening, gaining distance between him and Dogoro.

_"What is he doing to it?"_

The dragon stopped flailing and remained still. Its body emitted an aura of darkness. Red markings suddenly formed on Volvagia.

_"He turned it into a Silhouette!"_

"Now you will do as I say!"

Volvagia roared, booming its powerful voice across the mountain.

_'Now I hath given thee power to destroy me… Hence forth and maketh me light work…'_

_"This is what the Spirit meant!"_

Link jumped from the ground, raising the Ogenbard above him.

Darmani stared at the dragon monstrosity that roared fiercely. He wanted to stand and flee, but the tremors continued, not allowing him to regain his balance. It was just like the fight with Kaiser Dodongo. The carelessness of a single Goron venturing deep within the mountain caused Goron genocide unwittingly. The lizard's sheer power devastated Goron villages and brought great destruction to the main city and most of the mountain. Eruptions occurred with great unpredictability as the Dodongo rampaged. It took days to finally put the monster in its grave. It took the lives of thousands of Gorons, but their ability to live without fear was bought.

_"Why would he want to repeat the same tragedy over again?"_

The tremors suddenly ceased, allowing Darmani to stand once again.

"This must stop!"

Darmani curled up and began rolling to the summit.

Link brought his sword down on the dragon's head and landed a hit. It began flailing and roaring in pain, realizing Link's attack. As he landed on the ground, Volvagia turned to Link and closed the distance between the immediately and swatted him with its powerful hands. He careened away from Volvagia coming to a rough stop near a strange rock formation. Link looked at the formation to see exactly what it was. It was formed around Dumande, who struggled to break free from it.

"Dumande, what happened to you?" Link asked.

"Dogoro trapped me in here!" he said.

Link raised his sword above his head. "Brace yourself, Dumande."

Dumande tensed his body as Link swung at the rock formation. With one swing, the rocks shattered, releasing Dumande from his prison. Dumande looked to the summit. His eyes immediately widened.

"No…"

Link looked over at what he saw. Volvagia was attacking all the Gorons in sight, devouring those it felled.

"It's happening all over again! That dastard, Dogoro, will die for this!" Dumande began rolling away from Link, headed toward the floating Dogoro.

_'I also lost my father to the beast of the mountain, twenty years ago.'_

_"What happened here twenty years ago?"_

Volvagia continued its wave of death, continuing to feast on whatever Goron it killed.

_"This needs to end!"_

Link began sprinting to the dragon. He felt much faster than ever before. He also remembered how he jumped so high in order to reach Volvagia's head and wound it, despite its metallic make-up. The Spirit of the Mountain was really giving him the power to kill its incarnation. Link leaped up into the air and stabbed the creature's back. It howled in agony as it did before. He jumped from its fiery body before it could knock him off. Before he could land, Volvagia began swiping at him with its claws. Link frantically blocked every attack as he fell to the ground. He landed and then jumped once again to continue his assault. Volvagia took a deep breath and exhaled fire at Link. In desperate effort, he raised his shield to protect himself from the fire, but it helped little. Link was forced back, and landed roughly. His legs were somewhat burned, but his cap suffered the most. It was completely singed. Link threw it off and ran to the creature once again.

"Finally, this mountain will be mine." Dogoro said. He smiled freakishly as he gazed at the horrific scene of the many slaughtered Gorons that Volvagia had slain. Suddenly, he saw Volvagia flail as if in pain. "What?"

He saw a shinning light on its back. The light leaped away from Volvagia a few seconds later. The light was slightly silhouetted. He immediately identified its shape: the swordsman. He was fighting Volvagia. If he managed to defeat Volvagia-- no, he wouldn't finish Volvagia. The Spirit of the Mountain was far to powerful to even be somewhat matched by mortal blades. But still, he felt slight unease at the glorified appearance of the swordsman. The first time they met, he turned into a demonic creature that had unimaginable power, now he has become some sort of god-like warrior, facing Volvagia without fear.

_"This swordsman must be silenced!"_

As he proceeded to move, he was struck from the sky, hitting the ground hard. He quickly recovered but then he was grabbed by his neck and held up. Dumande was the one who held him.

"Dogoro, your existence is damned and you will die for it!"


	40. Chapter 39: The Ceasing

**Chapter 39: The Ceasing**

~~~The looming form of Volvagia levitated above Link as he ran to the rampaging monster. As soon as Link was under it, he jumped into the air and he began his Spin Attack. Unlike his previous employment of this move, every spin unleashed a powerful wave of light energy and power. Link hit the dragon's belly, sending it further into the air. It wailed from the blow and then regained it's balance in the air. The tremors began again, with just as much force as before. Link was still able to maintain his balance when he landed. Explosions and the disturbed sounds of stirring magma boomed from the mountains opening. Lava and rock began shooting from the opening.

_"The mountain is erupting!"_

Volvagia remained high in the air, roaring madly. It was causing the eruption. Link looked at the falling rock and lava and braced himself for it. Suddenly, the molten rock disappeared in the air in a flash as it descended.

"Don't worry about the eruption! Hurry up and defeat it!" yelled Eroraf. He, along with the other two, was casting a barrier over the summit to protect them all.

Link nodded and went into the air again.

"A…damned existence…you say?" said Dogoro, with a sarcastic expression of surprise.

"You heard me," rumbled Dumande, as he held Dogoro up by the neck.

"Wrong, cur, this whole race's existence is--!" Dogoro was cut short by the tightening grip of Dumande. "Your…existence is…condemned…" Dogoro struggled to say.

"I will quiet your lies," coldly replied Dumande.

Dogoro's eyes suddenly became darkly. "Your existence…impedes…my gods…"

"What did you--?"

Dogoro shook himself free of Dumande's choking grip. Suddenly, a rock spire shot from the ground in front of Dumande and pierced through his chest. Blood dripped from his mouth immediately. His eyes widened in fear. "No…"

"This whole race will die, and a new race will be formed of my image. Every creature of the mountain will bow to me."

Darmani suddenly landed near them and immediately saw Dumande's fate. "NO!!!"

Without warning, he began rolling at a blurring speed, engulfed in fire. Dogoro had no time to react before the flaming mass collided with him. He flew back, skipping along the ground until crashing into a rock. As soon as Dogoro recovered, Darmani appeared before him and threw a fiery punch at Dogoro. Dogoro attempted to block his punch, but to his shock, the punch broke his arm and landed on his face. Darmani repeatedly pounded his face, grunting before each punch.

"What do you think you will accomplish by killing me?" said Dogoro before he was punched again.

"Hyrule will be no more."

Darmani punched him again.

"Gorons will die."

He was punched again.

"You will die."

Darmani hesitated before he threw another punch.

"Just like your son."

Darmani held his fist from another punch.

"Just like your father."

Darmani's bloody fist tightened.

"Just like that cur Dumande."

Darmani yelled, and then landed a flaming punch to his face. Dogoro's head slumped. His eyes were darkened and his bloody face held its twisted smile, as if he had won even in his death. Darmani was breathing heavy. He could not understand how Dogoro could betray Dumande, nor did he wish to understand.

_"Dumande!"_

Darmani ran to Dumande, who hung limp on the spire. Dumande had bled an incredible amount of blood, yet he was still alive.

"Brother, do not worry. You will yet live," said Darmani, solemnly.

Dumande made eye contact with him.

"Is…that traitor dead?"

"Yes, he is."

Dumande smiled lightly.

"Good… Now I…can die…with peace…"

"Not yet, my brother! I have comrades who can heel you!"

Dumande shook his hand at him lightly.

"This is where I will die…"

"Then…then who will lead the tribe?" Darmani said, teary-eyed.

"You will…my brother…"

Darmani's eyes widened.

"And also…" began Dumande, "Tell brother Link…he has earned…the stone…" A long, last exhale of air left his mouth, and his eyes dilated, and then his head slumped. Just like that, Darmani's future made a pivotal change in a single moment. Suddenly, the eruption of the mountain brought him back to his surroundings. The dragon creature hovered above the mountain, roaring madly. He also saw a bright light ascending to the dragon.

_"Link…"_

As Link came near the dragon, he noticed its appearance begin to change. The markings faded and the dark aura that engulfed its body disappeared. Something must have happened to Dogoro. Link slashed the unready dragon's head and it flailed once again. Upon falling, Link landed on its head and stabbed its head. Volvagia shook him off as it held its wound on its head. Link landed softly and observed what it would do. It fell from the sky and hit the ground. He had finally beaten it.

"Chosen Hero of the Goddesses,"

Link raised his sword and shield in surprise. Volvagia still lived. It was looking at him.

"Finish me. Do the final stroke," it said.

Link looked slightly confused.

"Kill me!" Volvagia came at Link like a snake with its huge mouth open. Link braced himself. Just then, a bright yellow light shone in the dragon's mouth and promptly faded, causing it to slide to a stop. Auru stood nearby, with his crossbow in hand. It barely moved, almost as if it was paralyzed.

"Link, do it now!" urged Auru.

_'Kill me!'_

Link jumped on the limp serpent's head and stabbed it once more between its eyes.

"I give my thanks Chosen Hero… I can once again rule the mountain as a Spirit…"

Link got away from the dragon's carcass and watched as it became engulfed in flames.

The few remaining Gorons who survived the battle as well as Link and the rest of the group stood at the edge of the mountain's opening. Darmani stood in front of the crowd, holding the body of Dumande over the chasm. They had seen off every fallen Goron's body, and only Dumande remained.

"Thank you, brother, for giving your life," he solemnly said. His eyes squinted slightly. "From the mountain we come, and to the mountain we will go."

He let go of Dumande's body and it fell into the fiery depths of the mountain.

They arrived once again in the room of the Goron leader. Darmani approach the age-old Goron statue that held the much wanted Goron Ruby, and took it. He came to Link and held it out to him.

"The last request from brother Dumande was that you would take the Goron Ruby. You have earned it."

Link looked into the sparkling red jewel before grabbing it. Its shape was that of the paw print that was the Goron emblem.

"What will you do, Darmani?" asked Mikau.

"We understand if you want to stay with your tribe." Uryan said.

Darmani was silent for a moment.

_'To quit now would void all I have sacrificed. There is evil out there that must be ended and I cannot abandon my duty to the Chosen Hero.'_

"I will continue my obligation to all of you. I wouldn't be able to keep my honor if I abandoned you all now," Darmani stated.

"I'm glad to here it," said Nid.

"Well, we don't have much time, so we will hold our meeting right now." said Uryan.

"First order of business concerns Link's current condition."

Link grabbed his right arm.

"As you all know, we have less than four days until Link's curse mark consumes him. The sun is setting now, so our time is becoming short. We will seldom make any stops on the way." Uryan turned to Link. "The best thing that you can do is to control your emotions; otherwise Dark Link will find his way out."

"But what if I encounter another piece of the Fused Shadow?" Link asked.

"We were just about to address that," began Eroraf, "The Fused Shadow piece possessed by Dogoro is the missing piece of the complete object."

"That reminds me of something," started Mikau, "How do you suppose the sorcerer from the Lost Woods and Dogoro got their hands on the pieces of the Fused Shadow?"

Nid hesitated before speaking. "There is something about us that we have withheld from you all that I feel you must know about."

They all listened closely.

"We are members of a foreign tribe called the Ranul. Our tribe has traveled from the West to study the mysteries of your land, Hyrule."

"We are what one would call, intellects." added Eroraf.

"We have been to many lands, studying their legends, mysteries, and supernatural occurrences, but of all those lands, Hyrule presents to us the greatest legend, mystery, and supernatural occurrence: the Triforce."

_'Recruiting strong minds and strong swords. Join the search for the Triforce!'_

_~~~ "Who is 'us'?" Link asked, frowning at him._

_"My research group of course," he said, not shaken by the question. ~~~_

_"So they want to see the Triforce as part of their tribe's studies?"_ Link thought.

"So, that still doesn't explain why the Fused Shadow pieces ended up in the hands of those men," Mikau said.

"The Fused Shadow was one of the relics we found during our journeys. Its power was so great, that the Patriarchs of our tribe decided that they would keep it hidden away from common hands. Only a few from our tribe know that it exists," Uryan said.

"But one day," Nid began, "A certain man from our tribe, decided that he would take it for himself, and conquer Hyrule."

"But it proved to be an instrument that he himself could not contain and thus split itself in two and scattered," said Eroraf.

"This man, however, was able to retain at least half of it." Eroraf paused. "This man was named Anodro."

Everyone in the room was surprised. Link thought it strange that Anodro seemingly had no motive for why he was troubling the forest. Now it was clear what he was after.

"How long has your tribe been here?" asked Auru, with his usual eyes of skepticism showing clearly.

"Nearly one month," answered Uryan.

"Now, on to the last order of business," interrupted Nid, "As of now, we will be heading out to Zora's Domain, north of here."

Mikau gasped slightly.

"We will travel as long as we can until visibility is too poor to navigate through. Zora's Domain holds the Zora Sapphire, the last step in obtaining the Triforce, and the last step in saving Link."

"Any questions?" asked Eroraf.

No one said anything.

"Good. Let's prepare to leave then."


	41. Chapter 40: Tension

**Part III: Convergence**

**Chapter 40: Tension**

~~~The light of the red setting sun peeked through the many windows of the King's private meeting chamber. The red light silhouetted Viscen, along with the other eleven Knights who stood at attention. Session two of the discussion of whether or not the Tribe of Ranul would be ratified into the Kingdom of Hyrule was about to begin. Since the death of one of the advisors earlier that day, the tension around the Castle had been high, with tightened security around the Castle and around the Northern Tower, the residence of the Patriarchs of the Ranul. The growing suspicion that the Patriarchs had something to do with the death of the advisor only made the feeling of tension increase. The Supreme Patriarch and his nine colleagues and guards occupied the opposite end of the room that the King and his advisors were in.

"Now, we shall commence our previous conversation about your tribe's ratification into our Kingdom," began the King. "I will start by asking you where your tribe resides now."

"We now are stationed in the desert west of here," replied the Supreme Patriarch.

"The Goron Tribe resides in the East on Death Mountain, the Sheikah Tribe lives in the East also in the Valley of Death Mountain, the Zora Tribe occupy the North in the mountains, and the people of the Forest live in the South. Your tribe will be inhabitants of the desert in the West. Is that well with you?" said the King.

"It is well with me, Your Majesty."

"Good. Then I have a request for your tribe," said the King.

The General threw a sharp look towards the King.

"I want you and your tribe to aid the Chosen Hero and his group in his quest in whatever way you can."

"I have a group of men already giving aid to him and the group he travels with, Your Majesty."

"That is indeed excellent, Supreme Patriarch. Then we have nothing more to--!"

"I have one more inquiry, Your Majesty," interrupted the General.

The advisors and the Chief of Sheikah sat up.

"Supreme Patriarch, do you have any knowledge about the death of one of His Majesty's advisors?" he asked.

The King grunted slightly and the Chief of Sheikah gasped. The Patriarch was silent for a moment.

"I have no knowledge of the death of one of His Majesty's advisors. When did this unfortunate incident occur?" the Patriarch replied without any discernable change in the emotion of his voice.

"He was found dead early this morning in his room," added the Chief of Sheikah.

"I do express my sadness of his untimely death."

"I certainly hope, for your sake, that you did not have your hand in this," stated the General, coldly.

"I can assure you that I did not," the Patriarch said.

The King cleared his throat. "If that is all," the King pointed a chastising look at the General, "Then we are done for now. My Twelve Knights of Hyrule, escort the Supreme Patriarch and his party to their quarters."

"By your command!"

Viscen accompanied the General as they made their way out of the Castle. They were preparing to retire for the night.

"The Supreme Patriarch is hard to gage," stated the General.

"He is adept in dealing with political situations, it seems, sir," Viscen added.

"I don't believe a word that man says. I know he was responsible. It's all a matter of time before he is exposed," said the General with a frown.

"He apparently had no idea that it happened though. Do you think he really might not be involved?" said Viscen.

The General stopped walking and faced Viscen. "Do you remember how he hesitated before telling us that?" he said in a low voice, "He obviously knew something."

Viscen slightly winced as if he was expecting the General to hit him.

"They are not meant to be partakers of the peace of Hyrule. You witnessed it yourself. The chaos and madness that they bring, it will destroy Hyrule if not checked." As soon as he finished his sentence, Viscen saw a dark figure with silver claws appear behind the General. Viscen immediately thrust his lance at the figure, but it moved to the right of the General. It immediately commenced its attack on the General, but the General blocked its claws with his own lance. After a moment, Viscen identified the attacker. It was one of the Supreme Patriarch's nine guards.

"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Viscen to the cloaked man.

The cloaked guard did not answer and he released his claws from the General's lance.

"I guess the Patriarch is afraid that I will find him out!" said the General, taking stance.

The cloaked guard rushed the General and as soon as the General raised his lance to parry, the guard changed his target to Viscen. Viscen was unable to react fast enough to defend himself. The guard slashed his side, scratching deeply. The General stabbed the guard before he could attack again. The cloaked guard forced his body from the lance and took stance to fight once more. Viscen was alarmed that the guard was stabbed through and through by the General's lance, yet still able to fight, not even showing signs of fatigue. Viscen prepared himself likewise.

The cloaked guard suddenly rushed Viscen and attacked but was parried by Viscen. The General quickly followed up by thrusting his lance at the stumbling guard. The guard used his claws to turn aside the lance and attacked the General with his free claw. Viscen quickly stabbed the guard in the opposite side of his first wound. The General dropped his lance and drew a hidden dagger and cut the guard's throat. The guard stood still as the blood drained from his neck and stab wounds. Suddenly, the bleeding guard swung at the General, but only scratching his cheek. Immediately thereafter, the cloaked guard slumped and hung limp on Viscen's lance. Viscen unsheathed his lance from the guard's body and the carrion fell to the ground.

"Finally, we can see just who this is," spoke the General. He ripped off the iron mask to reveal the face. The General coughed in shock. The cloaked guard was another one of the King's advisors, but this time, their hands killed him. Without warning, the cloak and mask faded and disappeared from the advisor's body.

"Curse it! Those monsters framed us!" barked the General, pounding the ground with his fist.

"What do we do about this, sir?"

The General scanned the area for a moment. "We must tell the King about this…" he said, very gravely.

Viscen looked around the corridor. "Sir, I have an idea. You said that the Sheikah are able to see the unseen, right?"

"Yes, but,"

"They can probably find proof that we were attacked!"

The General gasped. "You are right. Let us waist no time then!"

Viscen stood up with the General.

"No. Stay here. We need to protect this area from tampering." The General ran down the hall.

The bright full moon softly lit the corridor through the pillars as well as the reflecting light of the torches that lit the area. Many Sheikahs prowled the area of the advisor's murder, searching for clues. The General stood with the Chief of Sheikah, looking around. Viscen approached the two. "Have they found anything yet, sir?" asked Viscen to them.

"Not yet. They have evidence that our fight with the advisor took place, but nothing beyond that," answered the General.

"If you two are right about what you--!"

"There is no question of our loyalty! Our hands are clean!" spat the General.

The Chief of Sheikah looked surprised.

"Forgive my behavior. I've been very tense lately," said the General.

"I understand. It was wrong to question your loyalty," said the Chief of Sheikah.

"Excuse me, Chief of Sheikah," said Viscen.

"Yes, Knight?"

"Have you checked the body?"

"We have,"

"Could you check again?" he asked.

"On what reason?"

Viscen glanced at the dead man.

"I just have a feeling that there is something that is being hidden from us…"

The Chief of Sheikah narrowed his eyes at him, and then turned to the body.

"Fine. I will look,"

Viscen and the General followed him to the body. The Chief knelt to the body and widened his eyes as he analyzed the body. The advisor was lying on his back with his limbs outstretched. His clothes were soaked with blood around his stab wounds and his collar area.

"I see nothing," stated the Sheikah.

Viscen noticed how his mouth seemed to be opened wide in an unnatural way. His mouth was only slightly ajar at the time of his death. Something was happening to his body.

"Look in his mouth," said Viscen.

The Sheikah raised an eyebrow. He looked directly at Viscen for a moment, almost as if he was trying to read his mind.

"I will," he said. He looked into the body's mouth. He moved back immediately, almost losing balance.

"What is it?" urged the General.

"There's a creature in his mouth."

"What does that mean?" asked Viscen.

The Chief of Sheikah peered into his mouth again. "It seems as if it is attached to his throat. It's moving very little."

"It must be a parasite," added the General.

The Chief of Sheikah reached into the body's mouth, trying to grab what was in there. He pulled his hand from the mouth, his fingers together as if he was holding something. "Here it is. Now we have--!"

The Sheikah stopped short of his words. He had a look of terror on his face.

"What happened?" asked the General.

"It disintegrated!"

"They wanted to make sure they erased their trail!" said the General in a furious tone.

"Either way, the King must be informed of this," said the Chief of Sheikah.

"Viscen," said the General.

Viscen stood to attention. "Yes sir?"

"Inform all off-duty Knights that they are needed."

"By your command!"


	42. Chapter 41: Through the Night

**Chapter 41: Through the Night**

~~~It was the first time since they started their journey that Link and the group had traveled through the night. The moonlight was just as bright as it was the night he rode to rescue Darmani. He led the horses with Zelda by his side. The rest were inside the caravan. Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf led the convoy of two through Hyrule Field. Death Mountain was once again a peaceful sight. Ash and tremors did not plague the mountain as it did a day ago.

"It's unbelievable how much our world has changed since the day we left Castle Town," Link said.

"Yes, much had happened to all of us… especially you," said Zelda.

"As long as we can stop whatever is about to happen before it happens, I will be fine with whatever happens to me."

Zelda looked at Link solemnly. "It won't be fine. I'm worried about you. It seems like you've been growing more distant from all of us since Kakariko Village. I understand that you want to keep us from worrying about you by holding these feelings inside, but it's only making us worry more."

Link was quiet for a moment. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine as long as you all are safe."

Zelda looked down. "My mother also lived with the same thought," said Zelda.

Link glanced at her.

"She was a very selfless person, devoting herself totally to my father and the Kingdom. She never complained and never let her emotions and pain show, even when I was born into the world." Zelda paused. "The mid-wife said that I would likely not make it through the birth process if I wasn't born soon, so my mother made a bold decision that took its toll in many ways: She let them cut me out of her at the cost of her life."

Link's expression became subdued.

"I never personally knew my mother, but I knew that she was willing to do anything for me. But it gave my father and the Kingdom great sadness." Zelda formed a fist with her left hand. "Sometimes I don't know if I should love her for sacrificing herself for me, or rather I should hate her for causing my father grief."

"Link," Zelda said, turning to him.

"Yes?"

"When the time comes for you to make that decision of life or death, make the choice for the happiness of the Kingdom and those around you."

Link briefly closed his eyes.

_'Don't do this alone,'_

He opened his eyes and smiled. "We'll get to the Master Sword, don't worry."

A once clear night sky was broken with many passing clouds as the caravans moved north. The air was intensely cold and the frozen ground cracked beneath the hooves of the horses leading the caravans.

"It's getting colder," said Link.

"Something is different about the air, something unnatural." Zelda said. She was wearing her cloak, bothered by the cold, cutting wind. Up ahead, the silhouetted caravan slowed down. Link slowed the horses also, until they came to a stop. Something was wrong. Link and Zelda stepped down form the caravan. Nid, Eroraf, and Uryan left their caravans also. Nid held a ball of fire in his hand that lit the immediate area.

"What happened?" asked Link.

"Two things are wrong," began Eroraf, "One, the clouds will soon block the moonlight, so we'll need to stop soon. Two, there is something wrong around here."

"You noticed it too?" said Auru.

"I've been to the North before," said Zelda, "but it has never been cold like this."

Mikau stepped forward. "This is definitely unnatural for the North, even for the winter," he said.

"So, what are we going to do then?" asked Medi, also wearing a cloak.

"We will continue until we run into some woods, then we will camp there," said Uryan. The three re-entered their caravan. Everyone else did likewise and then they continued on.

The moon's image was a white haze in the sky as the clouds continued to further blot out its light. The two caravans rode on through the frozen land of Northern Hyrule. The air was cold enough to cause everyone in the caravans to wear a cloak to keep them warm. The caravans eventually came upon a wood line. The most startling aspect of the woods was that every tree was frozen and barren. The cold ground was covered with withered leaves that cracked and crumbled with every step the horses made. The caravans eventually came to a stop in the thick of the woods. This was the place they would sleep for he night. Everyone exited the caravans.

"Is this where we shall stay?" asked Darmani.

"For the rest of the night, yes," replied Nid.

Medi looked around briefly. "The best thing to do right now is to stay in the caravans in order to stay warm," she said.

"That's what we'll do," said Auru.

Suddenly, a howl echoed through the trees.

"What was that?" said Medi, apprehensively.

"It sounds like a wolf. They aren't uncommon to see in these parts. If we stay in the caravans, they won't bother us," said Auru.

"We will take our leave now. Be ready at sunrise" concluded Eroraf, and then entered the caravan with the other two. Everyone else entered also into the other caravan. Inside the caravan, Link and Auru lay on one bench, Zelda and Medi on the other bench, and Darmani curled up on the floor with Mikau also lying on the floor.

"Do you think we're really safe inside of here?" asked Medi, sitting up.

Auru sat up. "Very safe. A wolf or any other creature wouldn't attempt to look in here."

Medi gave a doubtful nod and lay down. Auru licked his thumb and finger and snuffed out the lamp.

Link's eyes flung open at the sound of a chilling howl. The periodic howls of the wolves or the creaking of the trees kept him from sleeping long. A soft ray of moonlight shone on his face through the caravan doors. He felt the rocking of the caravan in the gentle gale that ran through the woods. Darmani snored loudly, adding further to the ambient soundtrack of the night. Link sat up to look around, hoping to find an inspiration for sleep. Everyone slept peacefully through the night. He began to feel a peaceful calm once again come over him. He suddenly noticed a startling detail just as he was about to lie down again: Medi was not there Link grabbed his sword beside him and stealthily left the caravan.

It was lightly snowing outside, and the hazy moon softly lighted the landscape. If it was naturally a mild climate, then something was indeed wrong. Link jumped to the ground and looked around. Medi was nowhere to be seen. He began to yell her name, but stopped himself. He didn't want to disturb anyone else, or alarm the things that took her. He looked around for footprints in the light coating of snow, and found paw prints. There were more sets of paw prints nearby, signifying that there was a group of kidnappers. Link followed the paw prints. The lack of foliage on the trees allowed Link to see through the woods with relative ease. As he followed the trail, he noticed that the paw prints were becoming more and fresher.

Suddenly, Link heard the sound of breathing coming from ahead. He hid behind the nearest tree he could find and peeked out to see what the source was. He couldn't see anything, just the sound of breath. He came from behind the tree and cautiously continued toward the source. A few steps later, he heard the rustling of snow to his right. Link grabbed his handle to prepare for an ambush. Other than the lightly falling snow, there was no movement; just the sound of breathing. His eyes made hurried movements to try spotting the source of the sounds.

"Link…"

Link gasped and quickly turned to the sound. It was Medi, lying near a tree. She was holding her right arm.

"Medi!" Link ran to her. She had claw marks on her right arm. "Medi, are you alright?"

"Get away…"

"What?" Link asked; confused what she said.

"Run!"

Suddenly, the wind began blowing hard. The snow on the ground began swirling through the air. The snow formed into white wolf-like creatures.

"_Wolfos…"_

They were surrounded by six of them. One of them appeared to be wounded. If these creatures took Medi, then she likely caused it the wound, while trying to get away.

"Medi, can you still fight?" Link asked.

Medi got to her feet. She unsheathed her Kodachi and took stance. "Yes, I can."

The wounded Wolfos leaped at Link, bearing its teeth and raising its claws. Link unsheathed his sword and brought it down upon the Wolfos, cleaving it in half. Its torn body burst into blue flames. As soon as Link finished his attack, he was nearly blindsided by another Wolfos. He blocked the claws of the creature and it began pushing against his blade. A by-standing Wolfos took the opportunity to attack Medi. It rushed at her and swung its arm, but Medi rolled on her back and kicked it into the air. She, then, got to her feet and stabbed its head before it hit the ground. Link quickly turned to the side, causing the contending Wolfos to stumble forward. He stabbed the beast's head, killing it. The remaining few Wolfos stood away from them, apprehensive of the idea of facing them. Medi grunted slightly, grabbing her wounded right arm. Blood was dripping from the wound to the snowy ground.

"Medi, are you--!"

A Wolfos charged Link, growling. Link instinctively raised his right arm to block it with his shield, but he suddenly realized that he was not wearing it. The Wolfos slashed him, knocking to the ground. The Wolfos leaped on Link and tried biting his face, but Link held its ferocious mouth away from him. He felt the cold saliva of the wolf drip on his face as it continued snapping its jaws at him. As soon as Link saw an opportunity, he instantly snapped its neck and pushed its limp body off of him as it began to burn. Another Wolfos lunged at Medi and attempted to bite her bleeding arm, but she moved out of its way and stabbed its head as it passed by her. It fell to the ground and burned. Link jumped to his feet and charged the last Wolfos. Its voice squeaked in fear as Link came near. A stab in the heart was all it took for Link to kill it.

Link looked at Medi. "Let's go before more come!"


	43. Chapter 42: The Daring Charge

**Chapter 42: The Daring Charge**

~~~Neither Link nor Medi wore cloaks in the snowy night. The moonlight was becoming faint as they moved through the forest.

"Medi, how did those Wolfos take you?" asked Link.

Medi was still holding her right arm, trying not to succumb to the pain. "I don't remember exactly. When I woke up, I was being carried by one of them. I used my Kodachi to stab one of them and break free. That's when it slashed me in the arm. I barely escaped them, but I quickly grew tired and had to find a place to rest," Medi explained.

"I guess these forests aren't as safe as Auru predicted," added Link.

Medi slightly smiled. "Thank you for coming to find me,"

Link smiled also. "Do remember our conversation the night I went to rescue Darmani?" he asked.

Medi looked at him. "The words you said to me, I've been thinking about them every since that night. They've helped me realize something I haven't until now. When I used to prowl the streets of Castle Town as a poor orphan, I taught myself to be independent, not trusting anyone or relying on anyone." Link sighed. "I became distant from everyone I came in contact with, even those who took me in during those days. Your words taught me that I'm not the only one in this fight. Everyone around me is doing their part, filling each other's weaknesses to accomplish a common goal that I believed I could do myself."

Link smirked. "I guess I want to thank you for waking me up."

Medi smiled once again and grabbed his right hand tenderly. "That's what friends are for."

Suddenly, Link felt his heart pulsating. The pain he felt crippled him, bringing him to his knees. He felt a gripping madness come over him. _"No… Am I becoming Dark Link?!"_

"Link! What's wrong?" Medi yelled, kneeling to comfort him.

Link grunted in pain, holding his chest. Suddenly, his arms began to glow red and his eyes shone red also.

"What's…happening to you?" Medi asked.

Link looked to the sky and screamed agonizingly. His arms and eyes ceased to glow. He fell on his hands, breathing heavily.

"Link, are you okay?"

He looked over to her. He had broken into a sweat. "I…I don't know…" he said. Link stood to his feet again and pulled off his gauntlet. His curse mark had grown past his wrist. He pulled up his sleeve. The mark reached to his forearm. "The curse mark grew," he mumbled.

"Hey, Link!" Ahead of them was Auru, holding a lantern. He ran to them. "Are you two alright?" he asked.

"Yes, I am, but Medi's arm his hurt." Link said.

Auru examined her arm. "Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf can probably fix it. Let's go before anything comes!"

The night was completely dark. The clouds choked out the light of the moon. Auru, Medi, and Link made it back to the caravans to find Mikau, Darmani, Nid, Eroraf, and Uryan, waiting for them.

"What happened?" asked Eroraf, noticing Medi's wounded arm.

"Wolfos attacked them," answered Auru.

"Well, we can heal her arm," said Uryan.

Medi stood before them. The three surrounded her and held out their hands and began chanting in tandem. Their chants continued to grow louder until their hands became illuminated with a soft blue light. The light extended to Medi's arm and set it aglow. After the light receded, her arm was free from injury, save the dried blood that remained.

"You guys healed Link the same way back in Kakariko Village. This is amazing," she said.

Uryan looked toward Link. "And wouldn't you like to be healed?" he asked.

Link noticed that his right arm was bleeding from the Wolfos that slashed him.

"Link, you were hurt?" Medi asked, looking concerned.

The three circled around Link and healed him also. "Dawn is coming soon, you all should get some rest before then," said Nid. The three departed to their caravan. Auru looked at Link.

"The curse mark grew, didn't it?" he said gravely. Link nodded.

Auru began staring into the fire in the lantern. "Our time is beginning to run out…"

The caravans rode once again through the freezing and bleak air of the North. They had finally put the woods behind them and were traveling the snow-white plains of Northern Hyrule. The sky was grey and heavy, carefully concealing the light of the sun. Link sat with Auru, who led the horses.

"Auru," said Link.

Auru looked at him.

"Do you have any family?" Link asked.

"That's an oddly personal question to ask someone," he said.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to--."

"Yes, I do," Auru interrupted Link.

Link looked confused at him.

Auru smirked. "I have a wonderful wife with one son and daughter. That is, until they died a few years ago from a Bulblin attack on our house near Lake Hylia," he said.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"I told you not to be so serious."

"But how can I? The world's falling apart around us and I'm going to die in a few days! How can I--!"

Auru held his hand out in front of Link's face. "You are not going to die. We will get to the Master Sword in time. Trust me," he said.

Link looked out to the plains.

"If you have a negative outlook on life, then your own life will become increasingly meaningless to you. You aren't the only one that your life belongs to. Think about those around you. That girl Medi, for instance, came with us on this dangerous journey just to be with you. How do you think she would feel if you died?"

Link turned to him. "She came for me?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes. And your life doesn't just belong to you and her, but to everyone in Hyrule. If you die, Hyrule dies."

_"When the time comes for you to make that decision of life or death, make the choice for the happiness of the Kingdom and those around you."_

"I know," replied Link.

"Remember this: As long as you can fight, there's always a chance that you can win. If you give up, there is no chance of winning."

Link suddenly noticed many mountains come into view. He also could see a giant river coming from the nearest mountain.

"It's Zora's River. We don't have much farther to--!" Auru stopped himself as soon as he saw a dreadful sight ahead: A legion of Bulblins was marching toward them from the mountain.

"How are they here?" Link said.

"Inform everyone that we are going into battle!" urged Auru.

"We can't fight through an army that size! This is larger than any force we've encountered!" said Link.

"Not as long as we have the will to fight, can we fail!" Auru said.

Link stared at Auru's intense eyes for a moment, and then went into the caravan.

A Bulblin riding on a boar came up beside King Bulblin. "King Bulblin, sir!" it yelled.

"What is it?" yelled the King.

"We have spotted the convoy of the swordsman! They seem to be attempting to charge through us!"

King Bulblin smiled. "Despite our reinforced army, he still intends on charging through us? A daring move. It makes me glad to gain the opportunity to kill such a powerful foe." King Bulblin said, lowering the helmet's visor over his face.

"What will you have us do, sir!" asked the grunt.

"Charge them, but do not kill the swordsman! I will deal with him myself!"

The Bulblin grunt rode off.

"Do not think that I will remain idle as you take my fight," said the Commander Bulblin as he rode beside King Bulblin.

"I'm growing tired of your defiant attitude towards me, Commander," the King responded.

"You may be King, but I will not allow my fight to be finished by anyone, even if it be you."

The King grunted. "I will warn you. If you get in my way, I will kill you."

"We shall see…" The Commander rode ahead of King Bulblin.

King Bulblin brushed his hand on the handle of his axe, holstered on the side of his well-armored boar. "Let's test that blade of yours, swordsman."

Link clung to the top of the caravan with Zelda as they began their charge into their deadly ranks. To anyone, this would have seemed like a madman's suicide mission, but there was no other way to get to Zora's Domain other than going completely around them. Battle horns echoed in the distance. The army was preparing to charge.

"Link, are you ready?" Zelda asked.

She was not wearing her cloak, likely because of the hindrance it would become if she wore it with the strong wind that swept the sub-polar plains. He nodded confidently and unsheathed his silver blade, the Ogenbard. "Sheik, I'm going to need a boar that's demounted."

Zelda looked up at him. "That reminds me, what happened to the one you had?"

"Uryan told me that I should leave it behind so I could travel with the rest of the group."

"Brace yourselves! We're about to make contact!" yelled Auru.

Mikau stood ready beside him. The frontline was fast approaching. They were equipped with crudely made spears. The second, third, and fourth lines wielded swords. The fifth line and back held wooden clubs in hand. The backlines consisted of two Bulblin per boar, one as a rider, and the other as an archer. Link spotted King Bulblin in the very back, watching them.

_"It's the axe-wielding Bulblin from the other night!"_

Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf's caravan was now upon the frontline. The Bulblins pointed their spears at the caravan. Suddenly, a bright light flashed, and an explosion occurred, clearing a sizable hole for them to ride through. Link held on as tight as he could to the caravan as they broke the first line. The explosions continued, carving a well-plotted path through their ranks.

"Sheik, look out for an opportunity!" Link yelled.

The caravan rocked as the surrounding Bulblins began attacking. Mikau began slinging his fins at nearby Bulblin while Zelda kept a watchful eye for the perfect opportunity to demount a Bulblin from his boar. Suddenly, Zelda cast two needles from her hand. They hit the jugular veins of a nearby Bulblin's neck, causing him to fall from his steed. Link instinctively jumped from the caravan to the boar and mounted it. A loud rumble sounded behind them, followed by the blurred image of Darmani, blazing through the crowd.

Link furiously brandished his sword around him, taking down all foes near him. He caught a glimpse of King Bulblin, who now was beginning his charge into the fray. Link bore away from the caravans to gain more room to maneuver in. They were coming upon the final line of Bulblins, the archers. The explosions in front of the first caravan continued as they moved through. Link kept his sight on King Bulblin, making sure that he didn't attempt to go for the caravans. Suddenly, a boar rammed Link's boar, nearly knocking him from his mount. He looked to see who it was, and was shocked: It was the Commander Bulblin, whom he thought he had killed three days ago.


	44. Chapter 43: Battle Royal

**Chapter 43: Battle Royal**

~~~Silar looked up to the sky through the shrine. "It seems that they have arrived," he said.

Rakam and Ainurad looked to him.

"Now more than ever, we need to get the Zora's Sapphire," said Rakam.

"And then we'll kill that swordsman from the other night!" said Ainurad.

"We don't need to fret over the Sapphire. We can take it anytime after we take the two stones from Uryan and his dogs," said Silar.

"And then what about this pathetic fish?" asked Ainurad, pointing to a giant whale-like fish that floated above the water in a giant pond that connected into a river that winded through the open-air shrine. The water around it was freezing in certain spots.

The fish shook its head slightly. "Thine evil shall not go unpunished. Thou shall fall!" its voice boomed.

Silar's cold blue eyes focused on the fish through the falling ice. "For a creature blessed by Hyrule's Goddesses, you are pathetically weak. Just give in instead of suffering."

The fish took a deep breath. "I shall not concede."

"So be it…"

"Swordsman! I challenge you to a rematch!" yelled the Commander Bulblin.

"How are you still alive?" Link yelled, weaving through the Bulblin hoard.

"You assumed that I was dead! Always make sure to finish your opponent!" The Commander Bulblin swung his large sword at Link. He leaned forward to dodge it and swung his sword back, but the Commander moved out of reach. They had passed the final line of Bulblins and were now faced with an open path. The legion followed them closely.

"His head is mine!" A giant axe suddenly came at Commander Bulblin. The Commander moved away from his attack and thrust his sword at him. The attack scraped the King's armor as he pulled back from the attack. Link pulled back from their fight.

_"It's best to let them kill each other than to interfere."_

Link fought his way back through the Bulblin in his way to get back to the caravan. On top of the caravan, Sheik made an effort to deflect all arrows that came her way. Mikau continued repelling nearby Bulblin that stood in his way.

"Auru! How much longer until we get to Zora's Domain?" Link asked.

"We are at the foot of the mountain now! Not much--!" Ahead of them were reinforcements. Their number was half as great as the group that pursued them. It seemed like they wouldn't last too much longer, especially since the caravan had taken considerable damage. Nid, Uryan, and Eroraf's caravan was in a condition not too much greater.

Suddenly, a sword from Link's left cut his hair. "You shall not abandon our fight!" barked Commander Bulblin.

From the side opposite Link, King Bulblin drew near. Link rammed the Commander's boar and rode ahead. The King pulled out a battle horn and blew it. "Swordsman! Order your caravans to stop and you shall pass through us, unharmed!" he yelled.

"Why should I trust you?" Link replied.

"You haven't any other choice but death!"

Link noticed the reinforcements ahead and the army behind. King Bulblin was right. Link rode up beside Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf's caravan. Nid stood outside of it. "Nid, the leader of the Bulblins told us that we would live if we stopped!"

"We cannot afford to stop! They'll kill us!" he said.

"He said we would pass unharmed if we stopped!"

"We cannot give in to them!"

"Trust me!" Link yelled.

Nid stood silently.

"Please," Link said.

"Fine,"

The caravan began to slow to a stop followed by Auru's caravan. King Bulblin's battle horn sounded once more. The army behind them attacked no more as they came to a stop. Once they stopped, the army, along with the reinforcements formed a circle around the two caravans, Link, King Bulblin, and Commander Bulblin. King Bulblin and the Commander Bulblin demounted their boars and came to Link. Link left his boar also. Ice began to fall from the sky. They all stopped in front of each other.

"So what's going to happen?" asked Link.

"I have a condition for you in order to ensure the safety of your convoy. I request a duel from you. If you beat me, you can pass."

"But what about your employers?" Link asked.

"I never liked them to begin with."

"You will have to get through me in order to fight with the swordsman," said Commander Bulblin, taking stance at him.

"Swordsman, allow me to digress for a moment."

King Bulblin charged Commander Bulblin with his axe high above him. Commander Bulblin ran at him also and swung at him. King Bulblin blocked with his handle and brought the blade down on him. Commander Bulblin jumped back from the blow and took advantage of King Bulblin's momentary defenselessness by side slashing. The blow landed, cutting through King Bulblin's armor and into him. King Bulblin knocked Commander Bulblin to the ground with his axe and jumped into the air, preparing to come down on him. Just before contact, Commander Bulblin rolled to the side, swinging his sword as he went. King Bulblin was slashed again as he landed. Commander Bulblin sprung to his feet and took a stance that Link was familiar with. He was preparing to use his lunging attack, the same move he used on him three days ago. King Bulblin stood once again and he also took a stance. It seemed that King Bulblin was preparing to use his thrashing attack like he did on Link, two nights ago. It appeared that this would decide their duel.

The surrounding Bulblins, along with the boars, watched silently with earnest. The ice was accumulating on the two Bulblin's armor. Suddenly, a boar in the crowed snorted, and the Commander Bulblin charged him as King Bulblin began swinging his axe at random, creating a blur about himself. The two met each other. King Bulblin's axe had been stopped by the Commander Bulblin's elbow on the axe's handle. The cold blade of the Commander had streaked through King Bulblin's body, piercing through to the other side. Hot, black blood dripped from the wounds, staining the snow on the ground.

"How…can this…be?" muttered King Bulblin.

"You had the strength to be our King, but you lacked the discipline and honor to properly lead us," answered Commander Bulblin.

"I…" King Bulblin dropped his axe to the frozen ground and his arms fell to his side. Commander Bulblin pulled his sword from his body, and black blood spew from the open wound. King Bulblin's red eyes became black as he exhaled his last held breath, and then, he fell to the ground, dead. Commander Bulblin took off his helmet and replaced it with one the former King Bulblin wore.

"I am King!" yelled the Commander.

All Bulblins that surrounded them bowed their heads to the new King Bulblin, the new leader. Link tightened his grip on Ogenbard, knowing that his time to duel had come. The King Bulblin faced Link.

"Now, swordsman let us complete our duel." He held out his sword, formally challenging Link. Link obliged, touching King Bulblin's blade with his own.

_'As long as you can fight, there's always a chance that you can win. If you give up, there is no chance of winning.'_

The two waited for a signal of some sort. Save for the sound of falling ice, no one or thing made a sound. Suddenly, in the distance, lightning struck. They both pulled their swords from each other and swung at the same time. Their blades hit, making a loud boom. They pulled away and swung again, each dodging the others attack. They made eye contact with each other, and lunged at the same time. They blocked each other's move once again and began clashing blades King Bulblin's red hot eyes clashed also with Link's determined and defined glare. They both searched each other's stare as if trying to find a point of weakness within one another and striking it. They pushed off of each other and Link immediately dropped into stance, as did King Bulblin. Link lunged through the air at King Bulblin as he did the same. When they were upon each other, Link's blade stopped King Bulblin's neck. King Bulblin held his as he looked at the blade.

"It seems that we have a draw," said Link.

"Quite so," responded King Bulblin. King Bulblin's blade also sat at Link's neck. The both stared at each other and then lowered their weapons.

"I will hold to the words of our former King and allow you to pass through," he said, sheathing his blade on his boar's saddle.

"What will you do then?" asked Link.

"We will lend our aid to you however you may need it."

"Do you plan to betray your employers?" asked Uryan.

He nodded his head and said, "We have been taught to side with the strongest side. I have recognized that you and your comrades are stronger than our former masters," he said.

"So we can pass now?" asked Auru.

King Bulblin nodded.

"All right then, let's get prepared to leave!" commanded Auru.

"Wait!" King Bulblin yelled.

"What is it?" asked Nid.

"What will you have us do?"

They were silent for a moment. "Where are you camped now?" asked Nid.

"At the Great Fall of Zora's River."

"Remain there at your camp until we return."

King Bublin nodded and then mounted his boar. "We shall escort you to Zora's Domain."

Nid nodded and then followed Uryan and Eroraf back to their caravan. Link noticed how King Bulblin gazed upon the former King Bulblin. His body was lightly coated in white ice.

"Will you bury him?" Link asked.

King Bulblin kept his focus on the carcass. "When the time comes…"


	45. Chapter 44: Reasonable Doubt

**Chapter 44: Reasonable Doubt**

~~~Viscen stood behind a chair at the long table of the King's private meeting chamber. The General stood also beside him. On the opposite side of the table, the King, the Chief of Sheikah, and the remaining two advisors sat. The other eleven Knights stood behind Viscen and the General, between the intervals of the windows that displayed a cloudy and dark view of Castle Town. The King, considering their accidental murdering of one of the King's advisors, was questioning Viscen and the General. The King sat his elbows on the table, with his hands together.

"Sir General, please tell me of the events that transpired last night," he began.

"Last night, Your Majesty, just after sundown, was when we were attacked by a cloaked man wearing an iron mask and claws."

"From your description, it sounds like one of the Supreme Patriarch's guards, don't you think, Your Majesty?" interrupted one of the two advisors.

"Let us not assume anything yet. Please continue, General," said the King.

"The cloaked man attacked me by surprise, but Viscen repelled him before he could strike. From there, we engaged in combat until we prevailed against him. Once he was dead, we removed his mask to discover that it was the advisor."

"General, are you telling us that he betrayed you?"

"That is not what I mean to say."

"It seems to me that you are implying such!"

"Do not take my loyalty lightly!"

"Do not insult our intelligence!"

The King abruptly stood. "The both of you shall cease!"

The General gritted as the advisor sat back with a scowl.

"Now, once you discovered this, what did you do?" asked the King as he re-seated himself.

"We informed the Chief of Sheikah of this so that he could investigate what happened."

"Why did you not inform me first?" the King asked.

"I wanted to have all of the facts of the matter before I went to you, Your Majesty."

"And did you acquire these facts?"

"I did, Your Majesty,"

The General nodded to the Chief of Sheikah. The Chief of Sheikah stood. "Your Majesty, allow me to present my findings."

The King nodded.

"Our investigation of this matter concluded that there indeed was a struggle between the advisor and the General and Viscen. And we also made another startling discovery."

The King raised his eyebrow.

"When we investigated the advisor's body, I found an ethereal parasite within his throat."

"A parasite?" asked one advisor with surprise.

"Yes. It was not visible to normal eyes."

"What do you think this means?" asked the King.

"We believe that this parasite was controlling his mind," answered the General.

"Do you believe that the Supreme Patriarch may be involved?" asked the King.

"Without doubt, Your Majesty."

The King's countenance became grave. He glanced to one of the doors and then to the windows.

"Knights," he began, "Blind the windows and secure the doors."

"By your command." Viscen, along with the other eleven, pulled the dark-blue curtains over each window. Four Knights stood by the two doors, one on each side of the doors.

"Your Majesty is there something wrong?" asked the General.

"Yes. I have a feeling that someone is spying on our meeting." The King rested his arms on the table. "Not only that, but I must ask you things that must never leave this room."

One of the advisors looked at the King in surprise. "Sir General and Sir Knight, would you swear by the thing you just told me?"

"On my honor, I swear my loyalty," said the two in tandem.

"Knights, I would have all of you to swear to secrecy on the things to be discussed."

"On my honor, I shall take to oath."

"Now," the King began, leaning forward, "I will tell you all right now that I know that the Supreme Patriarch is up to something. If you recall from our first official meeting, he told me that he had already dispersed several spies across Hyrule without a sanction. When he said that, I knew immediately that something was wrong."

"And do you remember," began an advisor, "How he knew about the teachings of Hyrule? Their tribe has never been to Hyrule, yet they know of how the Chosen Hero will rise when evil is abroad. This startles me."

"What frightens me more is that he already has a group of me traveling with the Hero."

"But we still have our watchman," said the Chief of Sheikah.

"All of the speculation in the Kingdom still won't prove that really are up to something. They've been thorough in covering their tracks," said the King. He stood from his chair.

"Knights, I ask that two each would be assigned to my two advisors and that the rest of you would patrol the Castle and keep watch for any suspicious activity at the Northern Tower."

"By your command," the Knights said.

"You all may go," the King concluded.

The chilly wind cut through the Castle as Viscen walked about the upper corridors of the Castle. In the distance, lightning flashed across the cloud-filled sky. The weather was just as ominous as the situation they faced. If it turned out that the Ranul were Hyrule's enemies, then there would be little doubt that a full-scale war would result. Homes would burn, blood would spill, and people would die. Never in Hyrule's recorded history had there been a full-scale war. Viscen desperately hoped it wouldn't come to that. If at all possible, he would do anything for it not to come to that. Viscen looked ahead and spied the Northern Tower. It may have been his imagination, but a strange darkness seemed to engulf the tower like nothing he had seen. Suddenly, he heard footsteps echoed about the corridor. He didn't know if they were ahead or—He turned to his back and witnessed the Supreme Patriarch along with two of his guards following him. The insanity, the madness, the darkness; he felt all of these oppress his mind immediately as the Patriarch advanced closer. He had to say something, anything.

"Greetings, Supreme Patriarch!" he suddenly spoke, standing at attention.

"Greetings, Knight of Hyrule," the Patriarch replied. Suddenly, the Patriarch stopped in front of Viscen, but did not face him. "Continue to impede me, Viscen, and you will suffer a fate worse than the advisors have."

Suddenly, Viscen's stomach began to churn. The Supreme Patriarch continued walking on with his guards, not looking back. Viscen felt petrified. His legs were as stone as he began to break into a cold sweat. The Supreme Patriarch knew what Viscen and the rest were up to, and he knew his name. He shouldn't have known any of that.

'_I have a feeling that someone is spying on our meeting.'_

Suddenly, it began to rain. Viscen suddenly slumped to the ground and vomited, and painfully retched until nothing came out, and then grieved at his woe.

Lightning flashed through the freezing shrine, followed by thunder roaring through. Rakam glanced to the sky, then at the fatigued whale-fish that floated above the freezing water.

"Silar," he said in a remorseful tone.

Silar's icy eyes pierced Rakam.

"What is it?"

"I've just been thinking; did we choose the right path?"

Ainurad turned to him. "What's gotten into you? This is the only way to get our revenge!" he snapped.

"No, I mean, are we doing the right thing? The Oracle told us that our Tribe's purpose was to aid Hyrule's Chosen Hero, but we are going against him."

"Rakam, this isn't about the Chosen Hero or Hyrule. Obviously those greed-filled Patriarchs don't care about the Oracle's prophecies either. It's about the Triforce's power and who can get it first!" Ainurad said.

"That's what I mean! If you look back on all of the greedy Roetems who guarded the Patriarchs and the Retarcs like us, they have met with nothing but destruction. Shouldn't we do what the tribe was meant to do?"

Silar approached Rakam and pulled him close by his cloak. "Rakam! I cannot have you stay with us if you continue your ignorant rambling! Are you with us or not!"

Rakam met fearfully with Silar's crazed stare. "Forgive me, brother…"

Silar let go of Rakam and approached the fish. "When will you give up and die, you miserable fish?" he said.

The fish shook its body. Ice fell from its back. "I wilt not fall to thy hands. Thou shouldest have harkened to thy comrade. Thou shalt meet destruction," boomed the fish.

Silar suddenly formed a blue sphere of energy in his hand and tossed it at the fish. A large wall of water suddenly formed between the sphere and the fish. The wall of water froze into ice and blocked the sphere, causing it to flash and explode, shattering the ice with it. Silar raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"So, you still have power left, huh, Spirit of the Waters?"

"Verily."


	46. Chapter 45: The Great Falling Waters

**Chapter 45: The Great Falling Waters**

~~~King Commander, along with the hundreds of Bulblins that he led, guided the two caravans up the treacherous terrain of the mountain. The ice was becoming thicker and was falling faster, slowly becoming snow. Link sat inside the caravan with Medi, Darmani, and Zelda. Darmani was sleeping as usual, along with Zelda, who was reclined on the bench, taking a nap. Medi sat silently with Link.

"Link,"

He met Medi's eyes.

"I have something for you," she said.

Link raised his eyebrows slightly as she reached into a nearby bag for something. What she pulled out was a green cap, almost identical to the one he had. "Is that my hat?" Link asked.

"Well, yes and no. The one that was yours was burned by that dragon you fought on Death Mountain, so I decided to make another one for you." She took the hat and fitted it onto his head. She adjusted it and then examined it before she smiled. "How does it look?" she asked, holding her Kodachi for Link to look into.

He studied his reflection. Suddenly, the memory of his dream returned to him. He remembered how he gazed into the reflection of the sword of his dream. He remembered the trio of figures that attacked him. He remembered how he met his end.

"Link?" Medi said.

Link was motionless as his widened eyes stared into the blade with a hint of terror. She quickly sheathed the Kodachi, noticing how he focused on it.

"Are you okay Link?"

He suddenly flinched and blinked his eyes.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

He looked to her with a lost expression. Hesitantly, he answered, "Yeah, everything's fine. I just got caught in a thought." He straightened his face.

"What was it?" she asked.

"I just noticed how well made this hat is," he replied with a pleasant smile.

Medi frowned slightly, but then forced a smile to her lips. She could tell that he was holding something back. Link sighed and then stood up. "I'm going to take a look outside."

He made his way out the back door of the caravan. Once outside, he knelt down and pulled back his sleeves. The mark had reached his shoulders.

_'She never complained and never let her emotions and pain show,'_

_"Medi doesn't need to worry anymore than she already is,"_

The caravans and the Bulblin army, led by King Commander, traveled hard up the beaten path of the freezing mountain. The snow whirled about the air, gathering on Auru's grey beard, as if it attempted to turn white. Mikau wore a grey cloak to warm himself. He was not accustomed to such frigid temperature.

"Hmm… I hear falling water. Are we close?" asked Auru.

"Yes, we are. As soon as we reach the peak of this hill, my home should come into view."

"Why did you say you wanted to be a mercenary?" asked Auru.

"I wanted to be an adventurer, to see the world. Too many Zoras grow content just living in the Domain."

Auru smirked. "I guess peace is a thing of novelty, isn't it?"

"It's not that I hated peace, it's just that being stagnant for too long made me feel stale. I couldn't stand it any longer," he said, sounding slightly frustrated.

Auru squinted for a moment. "As far as I can tell, the rivers of the Domain have yet to completely freeze," he said.

"Well, there's only one way to find out," Mikau stated.

When they reached the hill's peak, they saw a truly amazing sight. A great waterfall, unlike anything they had seen, fed Zora's River. Even as they stood on the hill, the countenance of the waterfall dwarfed them. Certain parts of the waterfall were frozen along with select points in the river. From their angle, the top of the waterfall could not be seen. A terrain feature at the base of the fall stood out and seemed unnatural. It was a rise from the shore of river that extended to the waterfall, but didn't connect to it. Also, a camp could be seen at the base of the fall, apparently belonging to the Bulblin. The waterfall was still at a good distance, though, and it lied within a valley in the mountain.

"Already, parts of the waterfall are freezing," said Auru.

"Some terrible fate must have afflicted Lord Jabu-Jabu," said Mikau.

Auru looked at him with a perplexed expression. "Lord Jabu-Jabu?"

"Yes. He is the one who protects the Domain."

Auru paused a few moments before he said, "I see, so he is the Spirit of the Waters,"

The path the army traveled to get to the waterfall led them into the valley. The light of the grey sky poured down on them like a lamp, with the snow dressing the land in white. They were finally upon the Great Falling Waters of Zora's River. The Bulblin camp was also not far from them. King Bulblin sounded his battle horn and his troops began to slow to a stop. The caravans stopped as well. Everyone disembarked to meet King Bulblin.

"We are now at Zora's Domain," he informed them.

"I have one question," began Nid, "What were you doing here?"

King Bulblin cast his eyes on the Great Falling Waters. "We were assigned with the task of taking the Spiritual Stone from their Zora King, but we were unable to gain entry into the Domain."

"It's because of Lord Jabu-Jabu," interrupted Mikau, "His power protects us from outsiders."

"So, how do we enter?" asked Uryan.

"There are only two ways," started Zelda, "One way is to play the melody if the Royal Family, and the other way is to be able to swim up the waterfall's current, something only a Zora can do."

"Only Mikau can swim up the waterfall, and none of us know the song of the Royal Family," said Uryan.

"I know the song," said Zelda.

Auru looked sharply at her. "How do you know? You're a Sheikah, not a member of the Royal Family."

"Only the most trusted of the King's covert Sheikahs are permitted to the Royal Family."

"Explain to me how exactly you are related to the King," said Auru in a combative tone.

"I was once a Sheikah, serving actively to the Royal Family protecting the King's Queen, acting as her shadow. After the queen's death, however, I resigned from duty, and took up work as an independent sword," explained Zelda.

Auru gave a testing look to Zelda before he faced Uryan. "It looks like we have a way to get in then," he said.

"Quite," replied Uryan.

"We shall take our leave now to our camps and await your return," concluded King Bulblin, as he mounted his boar.

"Where are your former employers?" asked Eroraf.

"They said that they were going to open a path to the Spiritual Stone and that it may take some time for them to do so."

"I see, then that is all."

He blew his horn and the army followed him as they made their way to the camp.

"What is it Eroraf?" asked Nid.

"They are attempting to kill the Spirit of the Waters."

Mikau looked to Eroraf.

"How do you know?"

"You said that the Spirit of the Waters protects Zora's Domain, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"And the weather around here has been very unnatural for this area, hasn't it?"

"Yes, but—."

"The Spirit of the Waters must be dying if the weather is changing this much and if they want to get into Zora's Domain."

"So that's what's going on," muttered Auru.

"Let's waist no time then. Let's continue!" Uryan commanded.

Their caravans came to a stop at the rising landform that came to the waterfall. They all disembarked and began up the rise. The river looked extremely cold, with frozen sections of the river and no fish life. The rise was also very icy, making it hard to walk up it. They made it to the top of the landform and faced the Great Falling Waters. Its height was truly breath taking from their position. Uryan looked around. "Where is the entrance? I can't find it," he said.

Auru looked to Zelda as she stepped forward. She put two fingers to her lips and began whistling a tune. It was a soft tune that was not harsh, but soothing. It had a very motherly feel to it, like a song that a mother would sing to her child as he fell asleep. Zelda ended the song and they stood in a strange silence as they awaited a result. Suddenly, the middle of the waterfall began to thin out until an opening behind the waterfall revealed itself. The waterfall extended itself to the platform, forming a walkway for them. Link cautiously approached the water-made walkway.

"Don't worry, it's safe to walk on," said Zelda as she began walking across it.

Link held his breath as he walked onto it. It was surprisingly solid.

"Hurry across. It will freeze if we take to long," said Auru as he walked across.

They all made their way into the cave. Behind them, the waterfall came crashing down over the entrance of the cave, obscuring its existence once again. The floor of the cave was frozen, making it difficult to walk on. It wasn't dark inside either. Light seemed to flow through the tunnel like water. They continued down the winding tunnel until they saw the exit. When they came out of it, they saw the exclusive sight of Zora's Domain. The river that fed the Great Falling Waters flowed through the middle of Zora's domain and another waterfall up above the Domain also poured into the river. The Domain was carved into the mountain, going deep into the mountain. The Domain raised each level as it went into the mountain, leading into a cave that relinquished the river. As soon as they stepped out of the cave, a troop of Zora soldiers surrounded them, with their lances pointed at them. Their weapons and armor were of fish skeletons.

"Don't make any moves or we will not hesitate in killing you," said a certain Zora that wore a fish skull helmet.

They made no movements.

"What is the purpose of your group to make you disrupt our peace?" the Zora said, angrily.

"We don't wish to harm you, we come to meet with the King," calmly remarked Uryan.

The Zora turned his lance to him. "What do you want with our King?" he said with a deep glare.

"We come to help you," said Medi.

"We do not need to be indebted to anyone. We can help ourselves," remarked another Zora.

"If you won't let us in, then at least allow us to give a message to the King," said Mikau.

"And what is your message?"

Hesitantly, Mikau said, "Mikau request an audience with him."

A swell of gasps could be heard among the Zoras. "Mikau? You mean the--!"

"Yes," Mikau said, deliberately cutting of the Zora's sentence.

The Zora's eyes narrowed. "No, you can't be… The Mikau we know has been missing for nearly half a decade now. You can't be him."

"But I am," he said as he opened his ulna fin, revealing the crest of the Zora Tribe.

The Zora's eyes widened. He, then, signaled the rest of the Zoras to lower their weapons and they did so. "Come with us!" The Zora troop formed around them and began leading the way. They followed. Zelda looked at Mikau, as if she was trying to figure out something.

"Mikau," she began, "What…are you?"

Mikau looked at her solemnly and then looked ahead. It was obvious that he didn't want tell anyone. They scaled the Domain, passing by the Zoras that were living out their daily lives the best that they could among the ice and snow. They came to the top of the Domain and followed the river down a tunnel that led deeper into the Domain. The tunnel was almost completely frozen, save for the river that remained unfrozen for the most part. A short ways later, they came to the main part of the cave. The roof of the cave was open, allowing the ice and snow to fall in. A giant pool of water was in the middle of the cave with a shore that surrounded it. Pillars lined the shore also. A platform stretched from the shore to the middle of the pool. On the far side of the cave, there was a throne, occupied by a Zora. Zora guards populated what appeared to be a Throne Room.

"Follow us."

The Zora troop led them to the bottom of the platform and stood aside to let them pass. They stood at the peak of the platform and faced the one who sat on the throne. He was an old Zora that wore the strange skull of a fish on his head. He wore a regal red and white cape, signifying his status as the Zora King. The leader of the Zora troop that led them there approached the Zora King and whispered something in his ear. As soon as the Zora finished, the King sat erect in his seat, with his eyes widened. He, then, turned to them.

"Is this true? Is Mikau, the heir to the Zora Throne, among you?" he said. His voice was tired and weathered; yet it held a hint of enthusiasm in it.

Link looked to Mikau, who seemed to be deep in thought.

"Is the Prince of Zoras among you?" called out one of the guards at the Zora King's side.

Mikau stepped forward. "I am he."


	47. Chapter 46: The Heir

**Chapter 46: The Heir**

~~~Mikau's eyes were fixed on King Zora as if he was in a trance. Everyone's attention was intensely focused on Mikau. King Zora was surprised by the revelation as well. His mouth hung open for a moment before he shut it, realizing it was open.

"You…are my son?" the Zora King struggled to say.

"Yes, I am, father," Mikau said, in a remorseful tone.

King Zora stood up from his throne. "After ten years, you finally come back. What happened to you?"

"I wanted to see the world," he said.

"Do you realize how much grief you caused because of that? Your mother died a few years ago because of you. She became feverish and weak. All she worried about was you and whether you were still alive or not!"

"Her death is not my blame!"

"Well then who will own it?" said King Zora as he stepped closer. "Surely it wasn't of her own will that she died. If you would have stayed--!"

"Stayed? If I'd have stayed, I would have gone mad! We lock ourselves away from the world; living in a false peace while the whole world falls apart at our feet! If we are part of the Kingdom of Hyrule, then what need have we to close our doors?"

"You are too young to understand why it must be done."

"Perhaps you are too old to see why it doesn't!"

"Don't you under mind my--!" The Zora King nearly fell before a nearby guard caught him. King Zora held his chest, letting out dreadful coughs. He struggled through the coughing to gain his breath. After a moment, he stood again with the aid of the guard. He gave a pained, but strong look to Mikau. "I didn't expect you to understand what the leaders of the Zora's must do. It was a mistake to think that you could be King. Take residence here, but do not show yourself to me again Mikau."

Mikau stood still, not replying. His expression communicated grief at what he experienced. This was the first time anyone had seen him lose his temper the way he did, since they began their journey.

The Zora that led them there approached them. "His Grace is done with you. Follow me." As they walked past the guard, the guard gave a sharp look to Mikau. Mikau looked away, pretending not to notice. He wasn't showing it, but he had much emotional turmoil within him.

The guard led them through a tunnel that ran within the domain that appeared to be living quarters. Though most Zoras slept within water, they still had rooms for those who did not prefer the water, or for guest. With the domain as cold as it was, however, it was likely that all of the Zoras made their bed on dry land. The tunnels somehow seemed to transfer sunlight through, lighting the tunnel just as if it was in plain day. After a few moments, the Zora guard led them into a large room. In it, were ten beds, made out of dried seaweed stuffed into a white cloth and lay over a formed rock frame. Four torches sat in each corner, adding to the light that traveled through the tunnel. Decorations of large fish skeletons, colored seaweed and shells furnished the room with an engraving of the Zora Tribe's crest on the middle of the floor.

"Here are your quarters. You will stay here for the time that you are here until the King is ready for another audience," said the Zora. He turned and walked away.

For a time, no one said anything or did anything. They just stood, all of them clearly in thought. What had transpired only moments ago had such a surprising and profound effect, that it was probably a challenge for them to mentally digest it all. Medi suddenly broke the silence by yawning. Everyone suddenly diverted his attention to her.

"So much has happened today, hasn't it?" she said, finishing her yawn.

Zelda lightly nodded with a smirk. She saw that she intentionally broke the quiet.

"I had no idea that you were the Zora Prince," said Darmani, looking to Mikau.

Mikau looked up to him. "Yeah," he said, almost as if he couldn't believe it himself.

Eroraf approached Mikau. "What is your reason for not wanting to become King?" he asked.

"I already said it: I wanted to see the world," Mikau said, frowning slightly.

"I'll ask again: What is your reason for not wanting to become King?" pressed Eroraf, leaning to Mikau's ear.

"What are you getting at?" asked Mikau, getting frustrated.

"I believe you know," he replied.

Mikau let out a slight gasp, and did not reply.

"I don't know all of the details, but I definitely know that you're running from something," Eroraf began walking to the exit, the other two following him. "It's time that you set aside your fears for your sake, and for ours," he said as they turned into the tunnel.

Auru walked to Mikau and put his hand on his shoulder. "I don't think I can do anything to make you resolve your quarrel, but whatever you're holding on to, you should let it go." Auru walked out.

A moment passed in silence before Mikau made his way out.

"Mikau," said Link.

He stopped upon hearing his voice.

"What are you going to do?"

Mikau looked back. "I'm going to think about some things..." He walked out.

Darmani proceeded also to the exit. "I'm going with him," he said as he walked away.

"I wonder what happened between him and his father," remarked Medi, taking a seat on a nearby bed.

Link walked over to a bed and freed himself of his burdensome equipment. He removed his gauntlets and examined his arms. The lightless abyss that marked his arms was bold and thick.

_"Two days left…"_

Zelda took notice and walked over to him. She sat beside him and examined one of his arms. "How far has it grown?" she asked.

"It has already marked my arms and legs," he said, not making eye contact with her.

"Link," she said, "We are going to make it to the Master Sword. You will overcome this."

"She's right."

Zelda, Link, and Medi got to their feet and readied their weapons.

"Who's there?" Link asked, quickly searching the room with his eyes.

"Me." The voice came from a familiar Sheikah that was behind Medi, propped against the wall.

"Oh, it's you," Link said with a sigh as he laid his sword down.

"Who is he?" asked Medi, putting away her Kodachi.

"I have been assigned by the Village Chief to watch over you all in case anything happens to you," he said to her. His eyes batted briefly to Zelda and Link.

Zelda gave a slight smirk at his gesture.

"I can see that the curse is already covering half of your body now," he said, solemnly.

Link nodded.

"From what I can see, the men who captured Darmani a few days ago are at the shrine dedicated to the Spirit of the Waters, Lord Jabu-Jabu. They are trying to kill him so that his protection over the domain will cease, allowing them to take the Zora Sapphire by force," explained the watchman.

"If they do that, this land will become uninhabitable. Everything will freeze over," Zelda said.

"That's why we can't spare any time. They've already been assaulting the Spirit for at least a day now. I don't know how much longer he will last," said the watchman.

"I know that time is against us," began Link, "But Mikau needs to come to his own choice without too much involvement from us."

The Sheikah gazed at the Zora emblem on the floor. "I hope that he reconciles soon." As soon as he finished, he disappeared in a flash of light.

"I'm going to take a walk," said Medi. "I need to settle my mind on everything." She walked out in the tunnel.

"Sheik," said Link.

Zelda looked to him.

"Why did he say he came from Kakariko?"

"If you noticed him glance at us after he said that, he didn't want her to know that he came from the Castle, or that I'm not who I really am," she said.

Link kicked back onto his bed. "I need to rest while I can. I have a feeling that I won't be getting too much after today."

Zelda smiled lightly. "A requiem is what we all need."

The waltzing snow danced a chaotic number as it fell to the ground. The sky was a deep gray, effectively hiding the sun, but not it's light. It was evident that the sun was setting because of the darkness that proceeded from the East. Mikau stood at the height of the Domain, starring into the rapidly flowing river as it rushed over the fall. The last time he was here, the water flowed with a soft quiet that was able to lull even the most hateful creature to sleep. The water's clarity also was as if it didn't exist, as if you truly were starring at the bottom of the riverbed. And the warmth that the water brought with it could soothe the worst of aches. Now, the river roared like a beast, greatly disturbed from its slumber. It was as murky as the clouded sky, and its chilling touch stole the soul.

Even in the face of this change, what frustrated him most was the fact that no Zora was willing to do anything about it. Even when their very way of life is threatened, they continue to withdraw themselves into the Domain. When the Gorons had their Tribe's existence threatened by Dogoro, they stood and fought back for what they knew they held claim to. When the Sheikah were being falsely accused of acts against the Throne, they defended themselves, knowing that they wouldn't stand a chance against the Throne's superior numbers. These two tribes fought for what they deserved to have and got it, yet the Zoras are the only tribe that would rather choose to waist away than to take back what belongs to them.

_"I just can't understand what you believe to be true, father."_

Mikau gasped as the sound of footsteps pulled him from his thought. He turned around to see Darmani approaching him. "What do you need from me?" he asked.

"You are so fast, it is hard to keep up with you!" said Darmani, slumping over to catch his breath.

"Do you need something from me?" Mikau asked once again.

"No, I just came to talk," Darmani said, returning to his proper Goron posture.

"You just want to 'talk'?"

"Yes, brother."

Mikau took a seat on the snow-covered ground. "I'm listening,"

Darmani walked to his side and sat with him. "Do you have some hidden enmity with your father?"

"Why does everyone want to know?" he sharply spoke.

"We are concerned with your welfare and we would like to help you in any way that we can."

"The best way to help is by letting me to me," coldly stated Mikau.

Darmani noticed how Mikau's hand clenched the snow beneath them in an angered manner. "Hatred brings nothing but death," said Darmani.

Mikau's hand stopped squeezing the melting snow.

"Hatred killed my tribe's leader and it killed Dogoro, the traitor. If you allow it to live within you, it will destroy you,"

A slight gale blew through, chilling the nearby river. Some of the water turned to ice instantly.

"I don't bear hatred," said Mikau, without turning his focus from the river. "I just don't understand how my people take no action to defend their land. What makes us different, Darmani?"

Darmani was caught off guard by the question. He didn't reply, searching for something to say.

Mikau turned to him. "Tell me, why are we so different? How is it that your tribe will do everything to make sure that your land is safe, while my tribe idly stands by for their destruction?"

"Nothing makes us different. We all may have been blessed with different attributes from the Goddesses, but we are all bold people who will take action to ensure our land's sanctity."

Mikau's eyes dropped a little, as if he were in thought. "The Gorons were given power, the forest children were given courage, and we received wisdom."

"If you think back to all that we have experienced, you can see evidence of this. The forest child, Fado, had the courage to risk his life to save Sheik in the face of impossible danger, Dumande and I received the power that we needed to smite the powerful Dogoro, and you have been blessed with the wisdom to know what is the best course of action for your tribe," Darmani explained.

Mikau's eyes were to the snow near him.

"Believe it or not, King Zora also is wiser than you think." Darmani stood to his feet and turned to walk away. "You should go inside to warm yourself," he said as he walked away.

_'Believe it or not, King Zora also is wiser than you think,'_

Mikau couldn't understand what he meant by that. His father was not being wise, or maybe there is more to it. Mikau stood up and made his way back to their staying quarters.

The Zoras were still out and about the Domain, but with the waning daylight, some were beginning to withdraw into the tunnels of the Domain. As Zelda walked about the Domain, she could see the affects that the extreme cold was having on them. Many of the Zoras were a pale blue color, as if most of their blood ceased from moving. Others were unusually thin, perhaps due to the lack of food that once populated the river in the form of fish. With the water freezing over more and more by the second, it would be a while before the food economy of the Zoras recovered. They would become dependent on the fishermen of Lake Hylia for food shipments. But even the cold water here could negatively affect the environment of Lake Hylia. Zelda bounded here cloak tightly, trying to keep herself warm. With daylight receding, it was only bound to get colder. As she walked, she caught sight of Medi, who stood at the edge of the Domain, by the waterfall. She approached her and stopped beside her. She was starring into the waterfall, apparently not noticing her.

"It's sad, isn't it?" said Zelda.

Medi yelped and jumped back, almost losing balance. "Ah, Sheik! When did you get here?!" she said, trying to recompose herself.

"Just now," she said with a soft smile.

"Oh, well, what did you say again?" Medi asked.

"I said that the river looks bad."

"It looks amazing to me! I've never seen the Zora River up close actually. I just heard stories about it," she said.

Zelda raised an eyebrow. "You mean you've never been outside of Kakariko Village?"

"Well, no. I never got the chance to, especially after the conflict that happened sixteen years ago," she said, trying not to show disdain at what she said.

"I used to live in Kakariko Village, but while I was too young to remember. Before the conflict began, we moved to a small village near Lake Hylia," said Zelda, forming a lie to relate to her.

"Lake Hylia?" said Medi, somewhat confused.

"My father and mother wanted to live away from Kakariko, fearing that a war would break out soon there. He didn't want my mother and I to be in there when it happened. And, as he feared, the conflict happened, and he left us to fight with the village. He promised us that he would return, but he never did," she said.

Medi gave a solemn look as she said, "He died there, didn't he,"

Zelda gave a slow nod. "His most trusted servant came to us and told us the news. She also said that she was charged with the task of serving us in anyway that she could. Impa was her name," Zelda put her cloak's hood over her head to retain some of her fleeing warmth. "A year after my father's death, my mother also passed from grief. She couldn't retain her health after hearing of his death. I was left alone with Impa, who now was the one who inherited my parent's estate and was charged to be my surrogate mother. At first I didn't like her, and I though that she was cold-hearted and uncaring, but as the years went on, I realized that she cared deeply about me. She made constant sacrifices to ensure my safety and health. I don't know why she cared for me though. She owned everything and she didn't need to care for me, but she did."

Medi looked as if she was ready to immediately begin crying.

Zelda smirked. "Why are you crying?"

Medi wiped the running tears. "That was a beautiful story! The question is, why aren't you crying?"

Zelda smiled lightly. "I guess I inherited some of Impa's coldness." She looked into the now dim sky. "We should head back. It's getting dark."

As Auru made his way back to the tunnel after exploring the Domain, he spotted Uryan, Nid, and Uryan, standing together at the upper level of the Domain. He ran to them. As he came near, they took notice of him. "Greetings, Auru," said Uryan.

Auru nodded to them in greeting. "It's getting dark, are you all going back to the room?"

"We like the night, it's actually a calm sight," Uryan said.

"Even in this bitter cold, you'd observe the night?" asked Auru.

"Believe it or not, these cloaks work wonders for us. Maybe one day you should find yourself one."

"I'd prefer to keep my wears practical," Auru's expression became more serious. "How did you know that Mikau was hiding something, Eroraf?"

"Despite his seemingly guarded attitude, he lets on to his inner feelings too easily," he explained. "His problem isn't that he disagrees with what the Zora King says, it's that he fears being bound to this place. He doesn't want to helm the responsibility that comes with being King. It scares him."

Auru smirked. "You saw all of that? Well, even if we know, we can't make him settle with his father. He must be the one to do it."

Nid looked up to the tunnel leading to the Throne Room. "I have little doubt that their quarrel will be settled by tomorrow."

"How can you be so sure?" asked Auru.

"The King is stern and stubborn, but he isn't blind. He will reconsider what he said earlier and seek to remediate it," said Uryan.

Auru looked down to the rest of the Domain. "You guys truly amaze me."


	48. Chapter 47: Insanity

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** This chapter has an exceptional amount of violence throughout it, such as descriptions of blood, violent actions, and morbid scenes of death. Since chapters can't be individually rated, this is just a fair warning to those who aren't to good with handling that sort of thing, so they can be prepared for what is to come in this chapter.

Thou hast been warned...

* * *

**Chapter 47: Insanity**

~~~The smell of blood permeated the room. The once-blue carpet of the room was soaked in noble crimson, belonging to two Knights that lay on the floor, one of which was dead, and the other barely clung to life. His breath was of horror and fatigue. His eyes rolled around in his head in an unruly fashion. He had wounds all over his body, as if some demon viciously rented his flesh. "Why…are…you…doing…this?" he painfully uttered.

A man dressed in a blue and black sage-like robe, stained in deep-colored blood, stood in the midst of the room. His breathing was just a heavy as the dying Knight, only it had a quality of madness to it. He stood straight, with his arms hanging limp at his sides. His hands were a bloody red. His nostrils were flared and his eyes were wide, almost as if he lacked eyelids. Lightning flashed, silhouetting his menacing frame. "It was for power…"

Thunder exploded into the room, punctuating his words.

The dying Knight coughed briefly. "P-power?"

The robed man knelt to the Knight and bit into his throat. A gurgling cry came from the Knight before he was silent. Blood poured out from the shredded neck as the man ripped out the flesh in a violent manner. He stopped moments later and stood once again, leaving his arms limp. The once-living Knights blood dripped from his mouth, down his neck, and staining his robe further. "It was…for power…"

It continued to rain relentlessly throughout the night. Thunderclaps deafened Viscen's ears every time they sounded. He, along with all the other Knights, was assigned to constant duty at the Castle to prevent any similar situations like what occurred the previous night. The chances are that a conflict would break out soon if things weren't situated soon.

_'Continue to impede me, Viscen, and you will suffer a fate worse than the advisors have.'_

No matter how many times that scene played in his head, he became unduly alert and fearful every time he thought about it. There was no doubt that the Supreme Patriarch had a hidden agenda, but the great mystery was what the agenda was. The hallways of the Castle were dark and chilling. The torches that lit the path did little to illuminate them either, which was unusual considering that the Castle was usually well lighted at night. Everything seemed to look worse than usual since his run-in with the Patriarch. He hoped that he was over-imagining these things. The silver-clad armor suits that watched the dim hallways seemed like they were alive, as if they watched him, taking careful note of every step he made. Wind blew roughly through the open windows that normally added an airy and welcoming atmosphere to the halls during the day. The Castle never had many people beyond an occasional servant wandering the halls at night, but since sundown, he hadn't seen anyone, not even an on-duty Knight. As Viscen walked, he suddenly felt his foot slip, nearly causing him to fall. He examined the floor to see what it was that made him slip. He couldn't tell the color, if it had any, but it was a puddle of some kind.

_"Why is this here?"_

He wondered if a servant had spilled a drink or something of the kind, but that was unlikely, since he would have cleaned it by that point. Besides, a container spilling would not have caused a puddle that large. He thought perhaps that maybe someone had just entered from outside, since the rain was torrential. After he looked around, he noticed that there were no doors to anywhere outside in the immediate area. It was impossible for that to happen. He had one other idea, but he didn't want to believe it to be so. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind and moved on. As he continued, he noticed that there were more puddles of whatever substance it was. More and more, that terrible thought pervaded his mind. Up ahead, he saw something that all but confirmed his fear: someone lay against the wall in a lit area. Viscen ran to the person to see if he was okay. It was a man, one of the servants. Blood stained the floor around him and his clothes. His head was slumped.

Viscen knelt to the man. "Who did this to you?"

The servant did not answer, or even motion a response. Viscen lifted the man's head, only to be horrified at what he saw. His throat had been ripped out of him. The man's eyes were foggy and his face was stiff. He was dead without a doubt. Viscen let the dead man's head drop and immediately got to his feet, readying his lance for an ambush. There was some kind of monster roaming the Castle, but the question was, how did it get in? Perhaps maybe this is also the Supreme Patriarch's doing, or something else. He looked through the dim lighting slowly. He quieted his breathing to tune himself in to every sound. Suddenly, he heard the pitter-patter of footsteps on carpet. He turned to the sound and saw a robed man walking toward him down the hall. Due to the dim lighting, he couldn't fully make-out who it was, or what he looked like, but there was an intimidating quality to him. He walked upright with good posture, but his arms seemed to dangle at his sides, like they had no life. His head was held up like he was looking at the ceiling. He could hear his breathing, even at the distance he was from him.

Viscen pointed his lance to the mystery man. "Who are you?"

The man suddenly changed his posture, walking in a more normal fashion, using his arms, but he seemed as if he was rushing. As he came closer, the light revealed just who he was. He was and advisor, garbed in a blue and black robe that was drenched in blood. His hands and face was also re-colored with blood.

"Goddesses… What happened to you?" exclaimed Viscen, running to him.

The advisor said through his heavy breathing, "They're dead…the Knight's that guarded me… They were killed…"

Viscen put his hand on the advisor's shoulder. "What happened to them?"

The advisor shook his head, as if he was trying to will away whatever he experienced. "The darkness…it killed them…the darkness…"

"Where is this 'darkness'? Is it coming for us?" Viscen pressed.

The advisor continued to shake his head, repeating his previous words.

Viscen looked around to see if what he spoke of followed him. There wasn't anything in sight that he saw.

_"Whatever happened to him must have been terrible for him not to be able to think,"_

Suddenly, Viscen realized that the advisor's heavy breathing had ceased. He turned to see what the advisor was doing. The advisor had already drawn a knife and was attempting to stab Viscen while he wasn't looking. With swift motion, Viscen grabbed the advisor's wrist just before he could strike. "What's gotten into you?!"

The advisor said nothing as he continued to struggle against Viscen's hold. The look he had was dreadfully psychotic. It would have been enough to cause Viscen to shrink in fear, had he not been fighting for his life. Viscen kneed him in his belly, causing him to drop the knife from his hand to hold himself. The advisor coughed violently. The veins in his neck became visible every time he coughed.

"It… It was for power…" he muttered after his coughing fit was complete.

"What are you--?"

The advisor lunged suddenly at him and punched Viscen in the face, knocking him off his feet. The crazed man followed up by jumping on him and clawed at him. Viscen raised his hands, trying to block the blows.

"Fodder like you could never understand power!" he yelled furiously.

Viscen unsheathed a hidden knife from his gauntlet and stabbed the advisor's shoulder. He yelled in pain and held his wound, giving Viscen the chance to kick him off. Viscen grabbed his lance and stood to his feet. Whatever happened to him made him mad and homicidal. He wouldn't be able to get away without killing him, and if he did that in his circumstance, he would be suspected of two murders. Possibly more. The only way he could deal with this is to get somewhere that he could deal with the advisor with a witness present. The only person he could think to go to was the General. Bringing the advisor to the King would be too dangerous.

Before the advisor could gain his senses again, Viscen kicked him in the face and ran down the hall, heading for the Eastern Tower. As he ran, he noticed a trail of blood on the carpet. He remembered the blood-drenched robe that the advisor wore. Judging by that, it was likely that he killed more people than the servant he found. Two Knights were assigned to the remaining two advisors each in order to protect them, but somehow this advisor became insane and dangerous. Could that parasite that was found in the other advisor's throat be in him, or could this be something different? A ghastly yell echoed throughout the dark halls. There was no question that the advisor was going to pursue him until he had effectively killed him.

Viscen picked up speed. He felt the fear-induced cold sweat dampening his clothes. Sounds of the hallway's furnishings being disturbed could be heard. He was getting closer. Suddenly, the crazed advisor appeared from Viscen's right as if from nowhere, screaming as if he was a ReDead. Viscen swiftly swung his lance, hitting the advisor at his side and knocking him away. Viscen turned and continued running, despite the fear that the advisor could recover at any moment.

"For the first time…"

Viscen became alerted upon hearing the advisor's echoing voice.

"…I have clarity…"

Viscen couldn't determine from whence the voice came. "What do you mean?" Viscen yelled, trying to get the advisor to speak again, allowing him to pinpoint his location.

"I see what life truly means…"

Viscen scanned the stretch of the hall as he went, trying to see if the advisor was near him.

"…All of your 'friends' are just actors, waiting for the curtain call…"

Viscen tried hard to understand what he was talking about, but he couldn't figure out the point the advisor was trying to make.

"…So they can STAB YOU IN THE BACK!!!"

Viscen's leg was slashed, and he fell. The advisor stood behind him, holding the knife he had previously lost. Viscen turned around to see him standing there, breathing hard.

"Do you know why they do this?" he asked, giving a wide-eyed look.

Viscen shook his head fearfully. The advisor started to chuckle. The chuckle, before long, became laughter of the most demented kind. Viscen took that as an opportunity to recover to his feet and jab the advisor's gut with the handle of his lance. The advisor fell to his knees, going from laughter to painful retching. Viscen ran off again.

Down the hall, he could finally see an exit to the outside corridors that led to the Eastern Tower. If he could get to the General, or at least a fellow knight, then he could put the rabid advisor down for good.

"They do this to you because they thirst for power," the mad voice boomed.

Viscen sped up, trying to get to the door before he was ambushed again, but his wounded leg kept him from going as fast as he wanted to. Just as he was within a few steps of the door, the advisor stepped in front of it, as if he walked from pure darkness into light. He faced Viscen with a distorted facial expression. The bloody knife and robe that he had made him look grisly.

"IT WAS FOR POWER!!!"

The advisor dashed at Viscen, readying his knife. Viscen brought to defense, his lance. The advisor brandished his knife with almost inhuman speed, giving Viscen no room to attack as he struggled to defend himself. Each stroke was made without skill and they came at random. He had truly lost his mind. Viscen jumped back from the barrage, causing the advisor to lose his balance from missing his last strike. Viscen retaliated by batting him away with his lance and following up by kicking him in the face once again, making the man hold his face, yelling in torment. He ran to the door and quickly twisted and pulled open the door in a swift motion, and ran out.

The rain was driving, almost instantly soaking Viscen. The lightning flashed every few seconds, terrorizing the sky. Viscen pushed the door shut to at least hinder the distraught advisor's progress. He began cautiously traveling the walkway, taking care not to slip on the water-drenched path. He didn't have long to run, as the Eastern Tower was already in sight and giving Viscen a darkly welcome with every flash of lightning that silhouetted its looming stature. Suddenly, Viscen heard what sounded like lightning, but was actually crashing glass. He looked behind him and saw the shady form of the advisor sprinting like the madman he was toward him.

"MY GOD DEMANDS YOUR DEATH!!!"

Viscen pushed through the pain that he felt in his slashed leg to gain speed, but the advisor was gaining still. Thunder rolled through the Castle as the advisor leaped at Viscen. Viscen jumped out of the way. The advisor landed hard in front of him. Viscen stood up and ran past the recovering man. He turned onto the bridge, linking the Eastern Tower from the rest of the Castle. This was it. A few more steps to safety, or would he only come to realize that the advisor had already slaughtered the whole tower? Despite this fear, it was his one hope, and he wasn't going to forfeit it. He could hear the splashes of water that signified the advisor's rapid approach. He saw the giant double-doors that two nearby torches illuminated. He pushed himself to his limit to reach them. He yelled energetically to motivate himself further than his body would allow him. He grabbed the handle of one of the doors and pushed it open and fell inside. He noticed two guards standing in front of him looking at him as if he was the crazy one and not the advisor that chased him.

"What's the meaning of this?" asked one of the guards, walking up to Viscen.

"Hurry, shut the door before he comes!" Viscen yelled, motioning to the open door.

The two guards looked outside, wondering what Viscen meant. The man that once pursued Viscen was no longer there. This was both a good thing and a terrible thing at the same time; he could be anywhere, readying himself to strike when least expected. Viscen stood up and closed the door himself.

"There is a madman running around the Castle, killing at will. Where is the General?" Viscen said, hurriedly, trying to catch his breath.

"A madman?" one of the guards questioned.

Viscen put his hands on his knees and shook his head yes.

The other guard noticed Viscen's slashed leg. "What happened to your leg?"

"The one I told you about, he did this. Where is the General?"

"Oh, follow me, sir!" said one of them, noticing that Viscen was a Knight.

The two formed on Viscen, one leading him, the other trailing him. They walked through the lit lobby of the Tower to a spiral of stairs that a few torches dimly lit. They continued up the flight of steps until they reached the top floor, where the General's quarters were. As they made their way to the room, they heard a thump come from below them. Surely it was the advisor. The lead guard opened the door to the General's quarters. In it, was a blue carpet lined with gold, a small round wooden table with two chairs sitting on opposite ends. A bed was in a far space of the room and a grand window that spanned most of the room. The General sat in another chair near the window, reading a book. A few candles softly lighted the room.

"General, sir!" Viscen saluted, the other two guards following suit.

The General stood from his chair and put his book down. He was still in his armor, minus his helmet. "Is there a problem, Knight Viscen?" he asked, giving a confused look as he took note of how drenched in rain Viscen was.

"One of the advisors is running mad in the Castle. He has killed a few known people and attempted to take my life," Viscen did his best to explain.

"An advisor? Do you have proof?" he asked, walking closer.

"He was wearing his blue and black robe as he usually does, but it was stained with what was a profuse amount of blood,"

"What has become of-?" The General's words were stopped short by the sound of a loud bang that boomed from the lower floors of the Tower. "What was that?"

"I believe that he has pursued me here, sir," Viscen answered.

The General went to a rack holding an assortment of lances on a wall and he grabbed a thin and light lance from it, apparently one built for close-quarter combat. "Soldiers, take your positions in this room. We will wait and see if this man confronts us," ordered the General.

One of the guards took point at the door, Viscen stood to the left of the room, near the far-reaching window, and the General stood in the middle of the room, watching the window also. The other guard walked to the part of the long window on the right end of the room. Viscen took note of this.

"Hey, get away from the window!" he warned him.

The guard looked confused as to why he said that.

"Are you daft? Get away from the-!"

Just before Viscen could finish his sentence, the glass behind the guards exploded into the room with an arm reaching in after it. The hand of the arm grabbed the guard by the neck and yanked him off his feet and out of the opening of the window. All three of the remaining men in the room looked at the broken part of the window in horror as they hear unbearable screams coming from the captured soldier. Lightning ignited the sky in quick succession as the wailing died off until it ceased. Now only the roar of rain and rumble of thunder was heard. The three of them waited with held breath at what else would occur. The advisor knew he couldn't take on three men at once, so he was going to try to use their fear against them to pick them off by one until he had killed everyone who knew of his existence in this way. The advisor was definitely not sane, but he wasn't stupid either. Viscen kept watch of the area in front of him, trying to stay as mentally clear as possible. The slightest deviation could lead to his ousting. Suddenly, from the right of the room, where the former guard once stood, the window crashed again, a body falling in with the broken glass. The body belonged to the guard. His neck was ripped out, like the servant in the hall Viscen first saw the look on his face was stone cold and afraid.

"Oh, Goddesses," said the General, as he stared at the downed guard.

Viscen suddenly felt a slight draft behind him and turned, only to see the advisor creeping upon him with his hands in position to strike. Upon detection, the advisor leaped at Viscen and tackled him to the ground.

"YOU CONDEMNED WRETCH!!! DIE!!!"

The advisor opened his mouth and attempted to bite Viscen's neck, but he was knocked off of him before he could. A lance was in the advisor's side. The guard threw it. The advisor stood again, seemingly not paying any mind to his liberally bleeding wound from the stuck lance. The advisor ran at the General, but the General staked him in his belly with his lance, stopping him in his tracks. Thunder rented the air. The advisor grabbed the pole of the lance and pulled his body down the lance, still trying to reach the General.

"Why are you doing this?" the General asked.

The advisor continued to pull his body down the lance. "It was…for…power…"

The General shook his head in lament. "I will end your misery," The General drew a knife from his gauntlet and stabbed the advisor in the heart.

The dying man's head jerked up as he slowly released his held breath. He reached up to the ceiling of the roof. "It…was…" The advisor's head slumped and his arm fell limp. He was finally dead.

The General pushed the bloody body off of his lance and it hit the floor. "I can't believe the advisor would do this," he said, trying to comprehend all that transpired.

"What shall we do about this sir?" asked the guard, obviously shaken by the event.

Viscen stared at the deceased advisor. "We must report this to the King in the morning,"

_'It was…for…power…'_

He didn't know what he meant by that, but whatever power it was, it consumed him until he was destroyed.


	49. Chapter 48: The Black Sheep

**Chapter 48: The Black Sheep**

~~~Mikau lie awake in his bed, trying to find the peace to sleep, but the turmoil in his heart did not let him accomplish his much-sought after goal. He tried every soothing thought to lull himself to the subconscious state that everyone else in the room was already in, but he couldn't stop thinking about their meeting with his father earlier.

_'I didn't expect you to understand what the leaders of the Zora's must do. It was a mistake to think that you could be King. Take residence here, but do not show yourself to me again Mikau.'_

Mikau didn't hate his father, but he couldn't understand why he felt polarized to him. He didn't agree with many of the things he believes in, but that didn't call for hatred. Mikau got out of his bed quietly and almost walked out before remembering to put his boots on. He was so used to a warmer Zora's Domain, that he nearly forgot how deadly the cold that now gripped it was. He treaded the softly lit tunnel with care. Zoras were not usually nocturnal and easily found sleep at night. Mikau's insomnia was not normal, but he knew what he needed to cure his lack of want for sleep: reconciliation with his father. He exited the tunnel and into the snowy night. Flashes of lightning saturated the low clouds with light, abnormal for a snowstorm. But with all the abnormalities lately, he wouldn't be surprised if it was considered normal by others. He walked about the snow-white Domain, looking around at the wondrous sight. Despite the muffled boom of thunder and the splashing light of lightning, the night seemed at peace with itself. Had it not been for the unforgiving cold, he would have made his bed out here instead. He walked up to his favorite spot in the Domain, the over hanging cliff at the top of the Domain that watched over all of Northern Hyrule. He snow crunched at his feet as he approached the cliff. The water in the river splashed roughly as it fought its way to the end of the cliff. As he came closer to the cliff, he noticed another Zora standing there too.

_"Who else would be up so late?"_

He came closer to try to identify who it was, but the darkness effectively hid the Zora's features.

"I thought that I would find you here," the mystery Zora said.

Mikau was surprised, wondering why he would be expected here. "Who are you?"

The Zora turned around, but Mikau still couldn't tell whom he was talking to. "I guess those five years have made you forget that I still know you, Mikau." Lightning flashed suddenly, revealing that the Zora was Mikau's father.

"Father? Why are you here?" Mikau asked, slightly bewildered.

"I'm here for the same reason why you are here," he said.

"What, for sleep?" Mikau said with a touch of sarcasm.

"We're here for sleep and for resolution, aren't we Mikau?" he said.

"I had no intention of coming to find you if that's what you think this is about," Mikau rebutted.

They both stood in silence for a moment.

"Okay, so I did come here to ease my mind, what of it?" he said, sounding slightly irritated.

"What of it? We haven't seen each other for five years and our first reaction is to fight each other. Something must be settled between us," the Zora King said.

"I just don't understand father, why are you not fighting against the one's who are tormenting Lord Jabu-Jabu?" asked Mikau, making a fist with his hands.

"I stayed my hand because I heard news of the Chosen Hero's coming from one of my informants. I knew that if he made it here, then he would eradicate this evil, as it is said in the legends."

Mikau was dumbfounded by his father's far-sighted wisdom.

_'Believe it or not, King Zora also is wiser than you think,'_

Darmani was right. Mikau's father knew much more about the Zora's situation than he gave him credit for.

"It is wasteful to take unnecessary action when a better way is known, my son. You need to trust in the wisdom of Nayru. That wisdom is our strength and it is why we have continued to live in peace all of this time,"

Mikau recognized how similar his words were to Darmani's words that were spoken to him earlier.

_'…You have been blessed with the wisdom to know what is the best course of action for your tribe,'_

"I think I know the real reason why you left us five years ago. The responsibility of being King frightens you. You would rather fight under someone than lead, and that's why being the heir scares you so," said his father.

Lightning briefly painted the area white before the crashing thunder washed it away.

"I am afraid that I wouldn't be a very good leader if I ascended to the throne," Mikau said with a saddened voice.

"It is normal to doubt your abilities at first. I felt the same way before my father died and the throne was forced on me. But I took confidence in the wisdom that we Zora's were blessed with and I have done my job well," he said, putting his hand on Mikau's shoulder.

"It is good, though, not to lust after the throne like many have done. That lust destroys people of all kinds. Remember that when you become the King." King Zora walked past Mikau, back down the Domain.

"Father, where are you going?" Mikau asked, turning around.

"To bed. My conscience is at ease, and it's cold. My old scales can't whether this snow,"

Mikau smirked and followed. Like father, like son.

Link and the rest of the group followed a Zora guard through the tunnel and out into the Domain. The King had requested an audience with them and wanted to meet with them right away. Link was confused at why the King would ask for them so quickly, especially after the negative note that the last meeting ended on. The only explanation was that Mikau had somehow found the time to reconcile with his father about their differences. Either way, they could keep moving on without any interruptions. They couldn't afford to wait again. Link only had two more days left to him to gain ownership over the Sword of Legend. The snow that filled the sky the previous day was grounded, and only the gray clouds remain. Zora's Domain was quiet, save for an occasional Zora that would pass them by. The cold weather took a great toll on the productivity of the Zoras, and if they didn't stop whatever was causing it, then there would be no doubt that this passive race would die.

They reached the top of the frozen Domain and began their trek along side the river that ran from the appointed place, the Throne Room. After a moment, they had arrived, and the Zora guard led them to the platform that they stood on during the last meeting. It was at last time to settle it. King Zora sat calmly in his seat, sizing them up before he spoke. "The one who wears the courageous green, are you not the Chosen Hero of the Goddesses?"

Link was slightly caught off-guard. He didn't expect King Zora to frankly ask him, so it was obvious that he knew the answer to his own question. "Yes, I am."

One of the Zora Guards near the throne flapped his ulna fins indignantly. "Do not address His Grace so directly!"

King Zora waved his hands placidly to the irritated guard. "Let it be." He stood from his throne and slowly approached the edge of the water that was the center of the room. "So, sorrow will come upon this land yet…" he said, starring into the water. "Have you collected the Spiritual stones of the Forest and the Mountain?"

"Yes, I have," said Link, "Your Grace," he added.

King Zora looked to Link. "You need not use honorifics, Chosen Hero," he said. "So, all you need is the Stone of the Waters, but you can only obtain it by proving yourself before my people. Do you understand what you must do to gain the stone?" he said.

"Yes, I do," he replied.

"Good," King Zora turned around and began walking back to his throne. "Three mysterious sorcerers are waging war against our guardian, Lord Jabu-Jabu. The only way to get to his shrine is either by climbing the treacherous mountain in its tumultuous state, or by taking the secret passage known only to few." As soon as King Zora reached the throne, he depressed the right armrest of the throne and suddenly the chair began sliding back, revealing a passage under it. Stairs led down it. "Take this path, for it is the quickest. There is little time until our guardian perishes. Go now."

Mikau and the rest descended from the platform and made their way to the passage. Just as Mikau began to walk down the path, his father put his hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "Mikau," he said, looking firmly into his eyes, "These men possess power beyond anything I've witnessed. Do not take them lightly."

"I understand, father."

They began their descent to their meeting with destiny.

The passage was tight, not permitting anyone to walk side-by-side. Somehow, a strange light traveled through, lighting the way. The air was cool and damp, like they were in a submerged cavern, but without the water. There was no noise, save for light footsteps and still breathing. Link felt highly apprehensive of what was to come in their showdown with those three men from the other night. He always felt uneasy before an upcoming battle, but this time was different. He had a very vague memory of their battle, even though Dark Link had taken control. They were immense, being able to hold back Dark Link. If Dark Link hadn't been there, he likely could have died. Though he could no longer use Dark Link to his advantage, he still had everyone with him now. Darmani's power, Mikau's calculation, Zelda's speed, Auru's resourcefulness, Medi's determination, and Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf's magic, they were more than enough to best them. Still, even that thought couldn't reassure Link that total victory was in their hand.

"We are almost there," noted Mikau.

"Good, I was beginning to think that this tunnel was going to go on for hours," said Medi.

"Link," said Uryan.

Link peeked back briefly over his shoulder to him. "Yes?"

"You said that you confronted these three sorcerers, didn't you?"

"I did, what is it?" Link asked, confused at the question.

"Do you recall what type of magic they used against you the night you fought them?"

Link thought for a second. The image of the fight in his mind was cloudy, but he could still remember the last one he fought, the one that escaped him. "Yes, I remember one of them. He used some kind of skill that allowed him to throw pure energy at me. I can't exactly remember too much about how he used it though."

"Can you at least remember what they looked like?" Nid asked.

"I can't, Dark Link had control over me, and so much of my memory of that fight is foggy,"

"I see,"

Suddenly, Link noticed a faint sound ahead of them. It seemed like the sound of water.

"We're here," said Mikau.

Ahead, the light was growing more and more. Eventually, they came upon steps that led up and out of the dense tunnel. When they reached the top of the staircase, they met with a grand view of the shrine of Lord Jabu-Jabu. Huge columns similar to those seen in the Throne Room of King Zora rose up to the ceiling of the cave. The top of the cave itself was open, revealing the white clouds that hung low on the mountain.

"Follow me," said Mikau in a very solemn manner.

Whenever a Zora ventured to Lord Jabu-Jabu's shrine, it was a sacred event and was not taken lightly in the least. He was their protector and their provider. They loved him for it and would pay respects to him. Mikau, even through his five-year absence, kept note of this stern protocol, and his humble countenance showed it. They ascended a few more steps until they reached the top to see the giant fish known as Lord Jabu-Jabu, and the three sorcerers, just as the King described. They were standing around the edge of the water, where Lord Jabu-Jabu was.

Mikau stepped forward crossly. "Cease your actions against Lord Jabu-Jabu at once!" he yelled, bearing his ulna fins for combat.

The man with the blonde hair, Silar, turned around to face him, but did not make any moves forward. "Who are you, Zora?" he spat, in a hateful tone.

"Silar," said the brown haired one, Rakam, "I believe it's them," he said, pointing to Darmani for reference.

The orange haired man, Ainurad, narrowed his eyes at them upon his realization. "Where's the swordsman? This time, I'll make sure to kill him," he said, clenching his fists.

Link stepped forward. "I'm right here, and I won't fail to finish you all either. Release Lord Jabu-Jabu now," Link demanded in a darkly tone.

Zelda glanced at Link in surprise upon hearing the harshness in his voice. It reminded her of Dark Link's blood lusty voice, but it was not he that spoke this time.

Jabu-Jabu shook off some ice that had gathered on its back. "Chosen Hero, thou hast finally come. My power is faint, and I cannot aid thee in battle. Smite mine enemies in my stead," his voice boomed.

"Hmm, so I was correct in thinking, it is you three," said Uryan.

Silar made eye contact with the cloaked three and immediately his eyes widened. "So you dogs finally show yourselves!" he yelled wrathfully.

"Why are you three even in Hyrule anymore?" Eroraf asked.

"Hey," Auru interjected, "What relationships have you with them?"

"Yes, Eroraf, tell your 'charges' just how you know us," sarcastically Silar said.

"As you all know," began Nid, "we came from the Tribe of Ranul. In our tribe, we have an oracle that can foresee the future. Recently, he saw visions of a Hero rising in the land of Hyrule, accompanied by a shroud of darkness that followed behind him. The moon that shone high above him, the very same moon that resembled our tribe's emblem, purged the darkness that lurked behind him. This was a sign that meant that our tribe was meant to aid the Hero in his task to save Hyrule, thus bringing our tribe to Hyrule."

"So are you saying that you all aren't doing this for yourselves?" Link asked, confused.

"No, we were sent by our tribe's rulers, the Patriarchs, to find you and abet you in your journey."

Rakam stepped forward. "That _was_ our purpose, but the Supreme Patriarch wanted something different than our oracles prophecy!"

"Go ahead," began Ainurad, "tell them about your plan to betray your 'Hero',"

Link looked to Nid in bewilderment. "Is this…true?"

"You deceitful traitors! Do not liken us to your kind! You are the true betrayers!" yelled Uryan.

"No, Uryan, it was the Supreme Patriarch who betrayed us! He wanted us to aid the Hero only so he could use the Hero as a sacrifice to steal the Triforce!" refuted Rakam.

"That kind of disloyal slander against the Supreme Patriarch is exactly why all three of you were exiled from our tribe!" said Eroraf, pointing to the X shaped markings on each of their faces.

Rakam put his hand on the brand with a look of shame on his face.

Silar brought his fist up. "This is proof that we had the ability to defy and do what you three are too afraid to do: take the Triforce for yourselves!"

Uryan formed a light blue ball of energy in his hand and lobbed it at Silar. Silar dodged the orb with relative ease. "What, did I hit a nerve, Uryan the Calculated?"

"No," Uryan replied, "I am merely done with listening to your mouths of deceit."

Ainurad took stance to fight, his hands forming a blue aura around them. "These marks may stay the true extent of our powers, but it's more than enough to fell swine like the three of you."

Auru looked at Link and the rest. "It's best that we stay out of their way," he said, motioning them to step back.

"Save your boasting for your last breath," concluded Nid, and then dashed with nigh-inhuman speed at Ainurad.

Ainurad bore his fist and charged also at him, but with lesser speed. Nid landed a blow with his fist, hitting Ainurad's fist in a head-on collision. The impact caused the hard floor beneath them to crack and sink lightly, as the two conflicting auras of their attacks warred against each other. The two suddenly exploded into a fury of attacks, each moving too fast for normal eyes. The broken ground on which they fought on fissured and crumbled with each successive attack. Eroraf took advantage of the situation and dashed off to join the fray, creating a blade of pure energy in his hand to attack with. Before he could connect his cutting edge to the distracted Ainurad, Rakam impeded his attack with a blade of his own. Rakam looked at Eroraf with disgust. "You dastard. Fight fairly."

"The Tribe of Ranul fights as one. But dissenters like you couldn't understand that," rebuked Eroraf.

Rakam broke off from Eroraf's blade and thrusts his blade at him. Eroraf smoothly sidestepped the strike and returned swiftly with a horizontal slash, of which Rakam expertly knocked aside. The two went blow-for-blow with each other, steadily increasing the speed and intensity of each attack until the air around them became a blur. Link and the rest watched the standoff with amazement at how extreme these two polar-opposite groups violently attacked one another.

"Auru," Link said, "Can we really trust them anymore?"

"I don't know if they are telling the truth, or if the other three are lying. Either way, it is best to wait until we settle this conflict before we begin questioning loyalties." Auru said, keeping his focus concentrated on the battle.

Link gave an irresolute nod and took him for his word. It was best to wait until things got settled before they sought revelation.

"So, Uryan, tell me how you plan to explain to the Hero why you are going to impale his heart once he gets the Master Sword!" Silar said with a freakishly large grin, complementing the cold, demented, glare of his marble eyes.

Uryan stood opposite to Silar. Though his face remained concealed behind his hood, it was apparent that his enigmatic stare matched Silar's. "How much longer must you spew forth false statements? Only a fool with a death wish would attempt to do such a thing."

"Then you really must want to die then," finished Silar, forming a ball of light in his hands.

"I will do what the Patriarchs failed to do: kill you all," said Uryan, forming spheres in each hand.

In a flash, they both disappeared from sight, only to appear a second later in the air, both pushing the orbs in their hands against each other, hoping that one would slip. Aura waves emitted from the clashing orbs. Suddenly a flash filled the room briefly and then subsided, revealing the two fighters flying overhead while slinging energy spheres at each other. Flash after flash, the attacks collided against the walls of the shrine, doing little, if any damage to the caves structure. Whatever force those orbs possessed, it was not able to destroy the cavern.

An all-out war had erupted in a matter of minutes upon their arrival. Unlike the fights with Anodro and Dogoro, they did not possess a piece of the Fused Shadow. But the quality of their beings, overpowered anything that their previous enemies had done. Whatever relation they were to Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf, things was bound not to be the same by the end of the fight.


	50. Chapter 49: Decision

**Chapter 49: Decision**

~~~"Goddesses, what possessed him to do this?" said the Chief of Sheikah, gazing at the two bodies of the former Knights who were the crazed advisor's guards.

Around half-a-dozen Sheikah prowled the room of the dead advisor, sifting for anything out of place in the bloody mess that was left behind. The previous night, Viscen and the General immediately informed the Chief of Sheikah about what took place between the advisor and them. Since then, the whole Castle had been filled with Sheikah searching for any clues as to why the advisor went on a killing spree, and as to how many bodies there were. As of that morning, they had discovered six bodies related to the incident: two Knights, a guard, and three servants. The Knights were downed in the advisor's room, where they now stood. The guard was in the General's quarters, lying dead from their fight with the advisor. The servants were all killed within the halls of the Castle. No matter how much pondering they did, they could think of no motive for all that he had killed. Except for the Knights and the guard, the servants were killed by unfortunate chance, revealing no reasoning behind his method.

"I have no idea why. Did you check his throat for another parasite?" asked the General.

"We did, but we did not find any trace of one. Something else caused him to do this, maybe it was merely his own doing," said the Chief of Sheikah.

"There was definitely something wrong with him," began Viscen, "He consistently said the phrase, 'It was for power,', as he pursued me."

The Chief of Sheikah turned to Viscen. "'It was for power'? Did he say what kind of power?"

"No, sir, he just answered with that phrase whenever I asked him anything."

The General's thoughtful stare remained on the two bodies. "This whole situation is quickly spiraling out of control. We need to meet with the King again to make our next move before anything else happens."

"Very much so," nodded the Chief of Sheikah.

Viscen, the General, and the Chief of Sheikah made their way to the King's quarters, located in the main body of the Castle, near the top floor. The King had requested that they'd meet in his living quarters due to suspicion of their previous meeting being compromised. Not only that, but the King saw no reason to use the meeting room, since only five of them would be a part of this meeting. More and more, Viscen felt Hyrule's imminent inclination to all-out war. Three advisor's dead, two dead Knights, and even more who are dead, with the risk of those of them who remained being subject to the same fate; it seemed almost impossible that large-scale bloodshed could be avoided. They scaled the final grand case of stairs, and made their way down a short hall, with a blue carpet lined with gold leading them to the appointed place. Elegant mannequins bearing polished silver and gold armor stood at the walls, holding slim, shinning lances. Shields bearing the Hylian seal hung on the walls, with two arrows crossing each other behind the shield. Tall, thin windows allowed them to see an exasperating view of the towers of Hyrule Castle, through the obscuring clouds. They finally made it to the end of the hall and to the large double doors that led to the stately quarters of the King. Two guards stood at attention at the doors, upon seeing them

"Greetings, sirs!" announced the two, "The King has been expecting you." The two both grabbed the handles of the doors and pushed them open, revealing a large room, furnished with a blue carpet lined with gold, and a window that spanned the length of the far wall of the room. A set of couches with a tea table in the midst greeted them as they walked in. On opposing sides of the room, regally designed sets of armor stood, with racks of extravagant blades and axes of many kinds. The King himself stood at the window of the room, looking out into the world. Six chairs sat behind him, three facing two, and the last one looking down the middle, with its back to the window. The last remaining advisor sat in one of the six chairs, waiting patiently. Two doors, one to the left, the other to the right of the room, led to more rooms, but with the chairs set the way they were, their meeting was to take place there. Viscen, the General, and the Chief of Sheikah made their way across the room and stood in front of their respective chairs.

"So, another advisor was killed last night?" asked the King, still gazing beyond the glass.

"Yes, Your Majesty," said the General, wearing a stony expression.

"How did he die?" the King said, turning around to face them.

The General glanced at Viscen briefly, signaling him to speak his part.

"Last night, as I patrolled the halls of the Castle, I happened upon a servant, who's neck was ripped from him. Soon after this discovery, the advisor came to me, with his robe drenched in blood."

"Blood?" the remaining advisor asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, Your Reverence, his robe was stained most wholly with blood. I inquired to him what happened, but he replied to me, speaking about the darkness taking the Knights that guarded him. As I scanned the area, he tried to launch a surprise attack with a knife against me, but I negated it. He had suddenly become homicidal. I knew that if I fought against him and killed him, then I would be suspected of murder, since there were no other witnesses present, so I ran from him to make it to the General so he could at least bear witness to what I saw."

"And did you, Sir General?" questioned the King.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I was the one who landed the finishing blow to him."

The King looked at them briefly and then said, "Oh, I had almost forgotten, please seat yourselves, if you will," he said, sitting in a chair himself.

The three of them took their seats. The King rested his elbow on his chair's arm rest and rested his chin in his hand. "So you say you were the one who killed him?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"How did this come to happen?"

"Once Viscen, accompanied by two guards who were stationed at the entrance of the Eastern Tower, had arrived in my room, the advisor attacked us, starting with one of the guards. He pulled him out of the room from a window and killed him outside. Once he was done, he threw the guard's body back into the room and attacked Viscen. The remaining guard tossed his lance at the advisor, striking his side, but it affected him little. He made a dash to attack me soon after, but I stabbed him with my lance and he perished."

They all sat in silence for a moment as the King delved into deep thought. He sat up in his chair, eventually, and asked, "Did he have any last words before he died? Maybe anything about why he did what he did?"

"He told us, 'It was for power,' He constantly told me such as I ran from him before I met with the General," answered Viscen.

"What do you mean, 'It was for power,'?" asked the last advisor, confused at what Viscen said.

Viscen shook his head slowly. "I have no idea. Whatever it was though, he seemed to be deeply moved by it."

The King looked to the Chief of Sheikah. "I remember you saying that there was a sort of parasite that controlled the mind of the previous advisor who attacked the General and Viscen at the same time. Did you find anything such as that in this case?"

"No, Your Majesty. He apparently did his acts of his own free will, as far as we can tell," he said.

"How many casualties were there total?" the King asked.

"Six that we found: Two Knights, a guard, and three servants," answered the Chief of Sheikah.

The King rubbed his bearded chin with his hand. "With three advisors now dead, it seems to be no sheer sequence of unfortunate coincidences. Somehow and in some way, the Patriarchs of the Ranul Tribe are involved, and we need to find a way to settle this before a war breaks out."

"How do you suppose we do this, Your Majesty?" asked the advisor.

"We need to have another meeting with the Patriarchs to gauge if whether they truly have ill intentions before we make any choices to prepare for war," said the King.

"When should we hold this meeting, Your Majesty?" asked the General.

The King peeked out the window from behind his chair and then turned back to them. "Around the noontide, we shall hold our meeting with them," The King stood from his chair, and the rest of them did the same, standing at attention. "I can only pray that we can end this before it begins." He walked away from them, retiring in the next room.

Viscen, the General, and the Chief of Sheikah left the King's quarters for the General's room, the place that the advisor met his end. They were going there to see if there was anything that might have been overlooked. If the Patriarchs were involved, then they were very clever in hiding their tracks throughout this streak of madness. The only slip they had was with the death of the second advisor. The first advisor died in his sleep and had no trace of murder upon him, and the third advisor killed and was killed on his own. The second death of the four advisors revealed that there was always something left to find, even when all else had been thought of.

The three of them scaled the Eastern Tower until they made it to the General's quarters. Once inside, they were reminded of the gruesome terror that occurred in that room just hours earlier. The advisor lay dead on the floor in his bloody robe and two holes through his torso from the lance wounds. The unlucky guard also lay not too far from him, with his neck torn asunder. Dried pools of blood covered the floor around the two bodies. Viscen instinctively covered his nose at the sight. With such violent deaths as the ones those two suffered, it was likely that rigor mortis had set in almost immediately, keeping their bodies from releasing their bowels, but it wasn't the potential smell of waste that bothered him. The inherent stench of death itself was what he sought to shelter his nose from. Just as many Sheikah prowled this room as in the late advisor's room. The part of the window to the right of the semi-circle shaped room was broken from the advisor's attacks. The glass fragments littered the floor. Because the open hole allowed the rain to fall into the room, the guard's body along with the floor around it was damp.

"It just doesn't make sense that he would do this, no matter how many times I hear the tale," said the Chief of Sheikah in disbelief. He walked over to one of the Sheikah and asked him if they had found anything new. The Sheikah told him that nothing of note was discovered. "They haven't found anything," said the Chief to the General and Viscen, as he returned to them.

"Is there anyway to check his body a bit more thoroughly?" asked the General.

"We can only check it more thoroughly once we remove his body for post-mortem examination," he answered.

The General crossed his arms and rubbed his chin in thought. "I don't think we'll have that long to wait..."


	51. Chapter 50: Good Intentions

**Chapter 50: Good Intentions**

**_Ten days earlier..._**

Rakam scanned the crowed streets, bewildered at where he was. The cacophonic scene was more than he could take on at once, being kin to a small, discrete tribe of nomadic people. Further more, he felt highly insecure without his comrades, Silar and Ainurad. For Retarcs like them, it was customary for a group to stay together, acting as one. Retarcs were almost never seen without their comrades. The Fathers, however, assigned all Retarcs to find out who the Hylian Hero was, and that meant that each group had to be separated in order to keep suspicion from rising in the minds of the patrols of Castle Town. The only thing that kept him feeling somewhat safe was that his face was hooded. Though it was not often that Retarcs were separated from one another, it was absolutely taboo for one of the Ranul to show his face before an Elitneg, one who was not of the Ranul. The face could not be revealed because of the many secrets it held, and not just to conceal identity.

Rakam was assigned, along with a fellow Retarc by the name of Eroraf, to the South Side of Castle Town. Silar was assigned to the West Side, along with Uryan, and Ainurad and Nid to the East Side and the Town Center. Eroraf, Nid, and Uryan were members of a different sect of Ranul. In their tribe, there were nine sects: Yrucrem, Sunev, Sram, Retipuj, Natit, Nrutas, Sunaru, Enutpen, and Otulp, each governed by a Father, with Grandfather as the ruler over them all. Rakam and his comrades were of the Yrucrem sect, while Eroraf and his group were of the Sram sect. Members of each sect had different attributes, such as power, wisdom, courage, or another. Rakam's sect was of courage, while Eroraf's was of wisdom, although they seemed to show other attributes as well. Their tribe was not, however, born into magic, but rather each member was blessed with magic by a series of markings all over their bodies, as given by the oracle of the tribe. Each person's marking was unique and gave them a certain magic that no one else could imitate. Though Rakam's comrades were from a different sect than Eroraf's, they were still under one tribe, and ergo, were brothers.

Rakam had no idea how they were supposed to identify the Hero, but if they were sent out to find him, then there was likely some way that they would know.

_"Anyone of these people could be the Hero."_

Hundreds of Hylians he passed, each one looking similar in some way. Though some were fat and some were skinny, they all looked the same to him. Their tribe had their markings to identify each other by, but these Hylians had no form of individuality other than what they wore. In addition, the weather there was also colder than the weather that they had grown used to in the Desert west of there. As he walked, he wondered why all of the people on the streets ran from place to place as if in a hurry. Where were they going so fast? And he also could not understand why people stood behind stalls, exchanging items like food to people who pass by for different colored gems. It was all foreign to him. His tribe did not trade items for food like these people. They all caught or found their food and shared it among other tribe members. Everything to him was different than what he was used to.

As he ambled through the crowded streets, he noticed a sign protruding from one of the buildings that read, "Telme's Bar". He had heard talk around the town about a bar or some kind of social pub dedicated to mercenary work. Since the Hero was supposed to be some kind of brave warrior as the Hylian legends told, this would be a likely place to start. He made his way into the alleyway where it was located and found the entrance.

Once inside, he saw a multitude of people of all kinds, from the fearsome and large, to the mysterious and hidden. The pub was a cozy place, yet it was apparently large enough to provide space for these dozens of fighters. Though his tribe did not particularly take to alcoholic beverages like these people did, he knew that usually people became drunk around the afternoon tide, so the bar wasn't full of rambunctious stupor. As he walked through, he noticed a billboard with a bunch of papers stamped to it. Upon further inspection, he noticed that these seemed to be job offers, ranging from task like being someone's bodyguard, to hunting for something. As he looked on, an arm suddenly stretched in front of him, reaching for a post.

"Oh, excuse me," the man said. He was dressed in a black suit with orange lining. He was the only one he had seen around the town who wore a cap.

Rakam slid out of his way, meeting the man's sky-blue eyes with own. The man pulled a post from the billboard and examined it briefly before walking away. As the man walked off, Rakam suddenly felt a strange sensation come over him. He started seeing images flash through his head, images of a warrior clothed in green. The images flew through his mind at a blazing speed, yet, he comprehended every one, right down to the last detail. Suddenly, one last image went through his conscience, depicting someone in a black cloak attempting to kill the warrior in green with a ferocious aura surrounding his flying fists. The mystery man's cloak design was very similar to – no, it could be him. After that image, the sensation ceased, and he watched the man approach the exit.

_"Those images are somehow connected to this man. I can't let him get away!"_

Rakam moved through the crowded bar to get near him, but not close enough to be noticed by him. They left the bar and out into the street again, and the man began walking east, into Ainurad and Nid's territory. Even though it wasn't his area to explore, he couldn't let their only lead get away. Maybe there would be repercussions, but it was now or never to decide. He summoned up his courage and continued his chase.

"I believe I have found him, Grandfather," said Rakam.

Rakam stood before a large man in a cloak that seemed to be pure darkness, wearing an iron mask over his face. Beside Rakam, were his two brothers, Ainurad and Silar, and the other group of Retarcs, Nid, Eroraf, and Uryan. Standing with the man called Grandfather, were nine other men, all cloaked similarly to Grandfather and with iron mask of their own. They were all inside of a rented apartment in East Side, so they wouldn't have to travel back and forth between the Desert and Castle Town.

"Where did you first see him?" the large masked man asked.

"I first saw him in a pub in South Side called 'Telme's Bar', looking at a post on a billboard," Rakam answered.

"Did you pursue him after you noticed something about him?"

"Yes, I did."

"Where did you follow him?"

"He walked toward East Side."

"Did you follow him?"

There it was. The question that he knew was coming that would decide his fate. He couldn't lie to him. Most of Grandfather's questions had been ones that Rakam was sure he already knew the answer to, so this one would likely be the same. Either way, there was only one way to find out. "Yes, I did."

Ainurad glanced over to him and Nid eyed him almost as if he had sentenced himself to death.

"You continued to pursue him even into territory that was not assigned to you? You do have a clear understanding of our instructions to you all, correct?"

Rakam gulped. "Yes, I do."

Grandfather shifted his position slightly and said, "And where did you track him to?"

_"Good, so he isn't angry."_

"I followed him to a building near the Town Center. I believe it's what is called... and apartment."

"Good..." murmured Grandfather. "I am going to reassign all of you: Rakam and Eroraf will take the East Side and Town Center, Nid and Ainurad will now have the South Side, and Uryan and Silar will remain West Side." Grandfather turned to Rakam. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Grandfather," they all said.

"You may all go."

The Gibbous moon silhouetted the quiet town with the help of thousands of visible stars that filled the black backdrop. Rakam, Ainurad, and Silar all stood on the rooftop of the apartment building that they were in, staring out to the gargantuan splendor of Hyrule Castle.

"According to the legends of the Hylians, the Hero only appears when evil arises. What kind of evil do you think we will have to help to Hero combat?" Silar asked, looking up to the stars through the shadow of his hood.

Ainurad looked to his clenched fist and said, "Whatever it is, it won't be able to stand to us, or the Hero."

"Usually in the legends, the evil threatens the sanctity of the Triforce, an item that is said to be made by the Goddesses Din, Nayru, and Farore. It holds a power that is said to be like that of the gods," said Rakam, resting his head on his arms that lay on the stony rails of the rooftop.

"If we really are the ones to protect the Hero like the oracle says, then I would be willing to give my life to protect him if it meant saving everyone else," said Silar.

"Silar, you know that none of us will die. With our powers along side the Hero, no one will need to die," Ainurad said with his usual fire and confidence.

Rakam focused to the Hylian Crest at top of the large chapel structure in the distance. "I certainly hope so."

Once again, Rakam found himself on the streets of Hyrule. He was actually able to see the street itself this time, since the sun was just rising. He stood outside of the apartment that he saw the man go into, waiting for him to appear. A scarce number of people wandered the streets, going to places that he had no idea about. He did not understand many of the Hylians' customs, but he didn't need to understand any of them to do his appointed task.

The sun's golden light fell upon the rooftops of Castle Town as Rakam waited. The traffic of people on the streets grew more and more as time went on. He was beginning to think that he had missed his appearance by chance. Grandfather wouldn't be too merciful to him this time if he returned to him at the end of the day without report. Suddenly he felt that strange sensation that took over him the other day retake him again. Scenes flashed in quick succession, as he understood each scene's contents. He did not understand the relevance of each scene, nor did he understand who the people were in the scenes, but they had significance. Suddenly, one particular image immediately startled him when he saw it. It was the same warrior in green he saw the last time this happened to him, only a sword with a blue scabbard struck through his chest as he was suspended in mid-air. He suddenly recognized the warrior's eyes; they were the same as the man that he was waiting for. Without warning, the imagery stopped, allowing him to regain his immediate senses. Just then, he saw the man as he stepped out of the doors of the building. He couldn't exactly explain it, but he suddenly got the unmistakable feeling that this man was the Hero they were searching for. Rakam grinned briefly before following him.

"So, you say that you definitely believe that this man is the Hero, Rakam?" asked Grandfather.

"Yes, I do," answered Rakam.

"Why do you think so?" he asked.

"Both times I've seen him, images run through my mind at an incredibly fast pace. Every one of them seemed to depict a man that looks exactly like the one we have been watching."

Grandfather paused for a bit, apparently pondering on what Rakam said. "Listen to me, all of you. Our next course of action is to aid him now that we know who he is. Use any method necessary to gain his trust and support him on his mission. I trust that you all understand the legends and what the Hero himself must do in order to gain the Blade of Evil's Bane?"

"Yes, Grandfather," the all said.

"Good. And remember not to allow him to see your faces. Even though he is the Hero, that does not mean you can become familiar to him. You may all go."

All of the Retarcs exited the room and walked out. As they walked down the hallway to their rooms, Rakam suddenly realized that he neglected to ask Grandfather about the image he saw portraying the Hero falling to that blue sword.

"Silar, Ainurad, I'll meet you two soon. I forgot to ask Grandfather a question."

The other two nodded as he turned down the other way. As he approached the door of their room, he heard discussion going on in the room.

"What could you tell from the boy's thoughts?" he heard one voice say.

"He was telling us the truth: the man he's been following is the Hero," another voice sounded.

"So how do you plan for us to act now?"

"We need to make ourselves known to the Throne of Hyrule to do anything further. We can't go through with our plan if we leave the Kingdom in its current state."

Leaving the kingdom in its current state? What did the Kingdom have to do with the Hero?

"And as for those Retarcs?"

"They need not know of what our actual plans are yet. Let them continue to believe that they are aiding the Hero. It's much easier than having to explain to them our true intent, plus, them knowing of how to obtain the Triforce would only run the risk of one of them becoming greedy."

Rakam's heart skipped a beat, maybe two. All this time, they were being lied to. Did the oracle's prophecies suddenly mean nothing?

"So you say that we need the Hero to collect all of the Spiritual Stones and gain the Master Sword?"

"Yes, and then we need to lure him to the appointed spot so that we can perform the rite with the Master Sword."

A rite with the Master Sword? As he thought of that statement, the image of the blue sword piercing through the warrior suddenly rushed through his mind. He finally understood what these images were: premonitions of things to come. If these were true, then the Hero was in great danger unless someone warned him. He stepped away from the door, only to cause a weak floor board beneath his feet to squeak loudly.

"Someone's at the door."

The door to the room suddenly flew open at the motion of one of the Fathers, but Rakam was long gone by then.

"We're being lied to? What do you --?"

"Keep your voice low, Ainurad," said Silar, sitting on his bed with his arms crossed.

Ainurad stood up from the chair he was in, clearly indignant at Rakam's revelation. "What do you mean by us being lied to?" he said.

"When I went to ask the question that I had for them, I heard them talking in the room about their plans to take the Triforce for themselves," Rakam said, still quite disturbed at what he had just heard.

"Did they say how they were going to do it?" asked Silar.

"They said that they need the Hero to collect the Spiritual Stones and find the Master Sword so that they can perform some kind of rite at a certain place."

Ainurad's eyes flashed lightly, "Rite? What do you mean?"

"I don't fully understand, but I think that they plan to kill the Hero with the Master Sword in order to do it."

"Did they say why?" Silar inquired.

Rakam thought for a second before he said, "No, but I think that they have some kind of plan to take over Hyrule, because they said that they had to make their presence known in Hyrule Castle before they gain the Triforce. Why they want to do this, I can't answer..." Rakam stared into the wooden floor of their room.

"Those dastards! Why would they betray us! Why would they go against the oracle, or is he a liar also?!" yelled Ainurad, kicking over his chair in rage.

Silar looked over at him as if he was going to quiet him, but he himself was too distraught to say anything.

_'If we really are the ones to protect the Hero like the oracle says, then I would be willing to give my life to protect him if it meant saving everyone else,'_

Rakam shed tears as he wallowed in fury and anguish.

The once comforting sight of the moon that shone its light on the town no longer gave Rakam the sense of serenity. It seemed like a damning symbol to him. In fact, everything looked much more hateful in light of his new disdainful knowledge. Save the occasional beggar or patrol unit, the streets of Hyrule were empty. Rakam had to warn the Hero of the coming danger, even if it went against the will of the Fathers. He still believed in the oracle's prophesies and sought to fulfill his duty. Rakam finally made it to the Hero's living quarters and scanned the area for anyone. When he saw that the streets were clear, he leapt off the ground and floated up to the rooftop of the apartment. Once there, he closed his eyes and focused his power. The markings on his body began to emanate a soft blue light. He couldn't warn him directly at the risk of raising suspicion from the Hero and the Fathers. The only way was through indirect revelation, influencing his dreams with the scene of the blue sword killing him. Eventually, the markings' light faded, and Rakam opened his eyes.

_"I hope this works..."_

The three of them sat in the room quietly at the setting sun. Their day had been uneventful and they had made little progress in getting in touch with the Hero. The Fathers didn't call them for a meeting either, so it's likely that they were not ready to make any new moves, and that Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf hadn't found out anything new either.

"Rakam," Silar said.

Rakam looked to Silar.

"Where did you go to last night?"

"Oh, you noticed that I left?"

"Why wouldn't I? We are all brothers," he noted, folding his arms.

Rakam looked out the window that depicted the brilliance of Castle Town in the golden twilight. "I went to warn the Hero about the danger he's in."

"What?" Ainurad interrupted, "You told him about what the Fathers are planning?"

"No, I didn't tell him...I just influenced his dreams..."

Silar stood up. "Rakam, you know how dangerous that is! You could have killed him and for all we know, you did!"

"I didn't kill him, I saw him this morning," Rakam refuted.

Silar took a breath and then sat down again. "I'm sorry Rakam; I didn't mean to become angry." Silar stared at his hands. "I'm actually glad that you did that. Even if they are our rulers, we still can't let them do this."

"Yeah," agreed Ainurad, "They'll pay for betraying our trust."

Rakam stood upon the rooftop of the Hero's apartment building once again. He was determined to awaken the Hero's senses to the situation, no matter how many times he had to repeat the process. He focused his mind on the images that he saw and his markings glowed. After a moment, the markings dimmed and Rakam opened his eyes and felt his heart nearly explode at the sight of Eroraf standing before him. The look in Eroraf's eyes was ominous and deep.

"Rakam, why are you out here?" he asked plainly.

"What do you mean why am I out here? Why are you out here?" Rakam replied.

"I noticed that you left your room so I came to find out what you were doing. So, what _are_ you doing?"

Rakam contemplated on what he should say to him. Eroraf was just like he was; a Retarc who was being used as a pawn in the games of the powers that be. Yet, somehow it seemed as if he knew very well what Rakam had discovered by accident. If Eroraf was going along with the plans of the Fathers, then Rakam would be risking banishment for Silar, Ainurad, and himself, but if he wasn't...

"Eroraf, I have grave news that I think you need to hear," Rakam stated.

"Grave news?" Eroraf repeated with surprise.

"Last night, when we finished our meeting with the Fathers, I went back to their room to question them about a certain aspect of our mission, but I overheard their conversation before I opened the door." Rakam paused briefly. "Eroraf, you must believe what I'm saying when I tell you this, no matter how absurd it may seem."

"I will hear what you have to say," Eroraf said, prompting him to continue.

"The Fathers plan to take the Triforce by killing the Hero in order to do it."

"The Triforce?" Eroraf exclaimed, "The Fathers would never attempt such a thing!"

"I speak only the truth. They plan to take over Hyrule with its power."

"Hold your slanderous tongue!"

"Eroraf, you must believe me!"

Eroraf grabbed Rakam's arm and pulled it close to him. "Why should I believe you?" he said in a threatening tone. "How do I know you aren't attempting to kill the Hero?"

Rakam's eyes stayed firm. "I was up here just now warning the Hero through his dreams. I'm trying to save him from those lying monsters!"

Eroraf punched Rakam in the face, knocking him to the ground. "Traitor! You'll die for your words!" Eroraf created a sword from pure energy in his right hand and thrust it at him.

Suddenly, Eroraf's attempt to kill Rakam was halted by a large figure that stood between them. His mere presence seemed to be the only force holding Eroraf's attack.

"Grandfather!" exclaimed Eroraf.

"Do not kill him," he stated.

"No, he must die! He betrays your honor with his words!" Eroraf said, struggling to free his sword from whatever force kept it from moving.

"It is not for you to decide how one is punished," Grandfather stated. He fanned his arms out, flinging Eroraf with an invisible force. "Besides, our brand of punishment will be much more just," he said, turning to Rakam, who still remained on the floor.

Suddenly, as if from the darkness, the nine Fathers appeared, along with Ainurad, Silar, Nid, and Uryan. Two of the Fathers had holds on Ainurad and Silar.

"Rakam," began Grandfather, "Why would you make such accusations about us?"

"I don't know, Grandfather, why don't you tell us!" yelled Ainurad, struggling to break free.

"Silence, wretch," started Nid, "You've lost your right to speak."

"Grandfather," said one of the Fathers, "What shall we do with them?"

"They need to die!" yelled Eroraf, almost screaming it. He tried once again to charge at Rakam, but was again stopped in his tracks by Grandfather's power.

"I have said it before, they needn't die," said Grandfather. Suddenly, Rakam, along with Ainurad and Silar, were brought to Grandfather and held in place, levitating. "They will be exiled."

Silar's eyes widened and his markings shone brightly. "What? You are banishing us as if we are traitors? You all are the ones who should be banished for betrayal! You are going against the --!" Silar yelped in pain as a mysterious force suddenly assaulted his senses.

"Your heresy will end tonight," noted Grandfather.

Ainurad and Rakam joined Silar in his anguish. Their markings became red as they writhed in agony. The markings on their bodies suddenly started shifting and moving around. This tortured scene continued for at least a minute before it subsided and the three of them dropped to the floor. The markings on them changed noticeably, particularly on their faces. They all now had an X shaped mark on their cheeks; the most nefarious brand a man of the Ranul. It prohibited them from using their magic power to their fullest extent, and they were forced to reveal the curse to everyone they met, even Elitnegs. In more ways than anyone could count, it was worse than death, to live with such shame.

"All three of you will flee from here, and never return to Hyrule or our tribe again," stated Grandfather grimly.

Rakam, Silar, and Ainurad stood on a hill in the midst of Hyrule field, with the shinning moon waxing the darkened plains. The malicious mark of shame glowed softly on each of their faces. They all looked out to Castle Town, staring upon it hatefully, remembering the painful memory of their punishment for doing what was right. Their hard work was paid off with their cursing, their defamation. In Rakam's—no, in all three of their hearts, a seed of abhorrence began to grow.

"Curse those swine," muttered Silar, "Those greedy monsters."

Ainurad punched the ground, sending a spray of dirt up upon impact. He screamed loudly; his voice full of rage and vengeance. "We will have our revenge! Do you hear me you dogs?!"

Rakam's eyes began tearing at the thought of the act of treachery that the Fathers were committing.

"We shall take the Triforce for ourselves, if that's how they want to do things," said Silar suddenly.

"What?" Rakam asked, trying to keep his voice from quivering.

"I said we'll take the Triforce from them. If they are so willing to do this to us, then the only way to get back at them is to take what they cherish most."

"But...that would mean killing--!"

"The Hero," finished Ainurad. "So what? He hasn't done anything for us! If anything, he's the one to blame for all of this!"

Silar turned his back to the sight of Castle Town. "Let's go, we must get started as soon as possible," he said, continuing on into the expanse of the night.

Ainurad and Rakam followed, complete with a new resolve for revenge.


	52. Chapter 51: The Purpose

**Chapter 51: The Purpose**

~~~Flashes filled the air and battle cries rang through the cavern. Link, Zelda, Medi, Mikau, Auru, and Darmani stood awe-struck at the warring of these two opposites. Those who want the Triforce: Silar, Ainurad, and Rakam; those who want to defend the Triforce: Uryan, Nid, Eroraf. Lord Jabu-Jabu watched the fighting as if he was an arbiter, deciding the punishment of the defeated.

"What do we do, Link?" asked Medi, clearly worried about the outcome of the fight.

Link was fixed wholly on the fight, not immediately responding to what she said.

Medi lightly nudged Link's arm and said, "Link?"

Link suddenly blinked, taking notice of her beckoning. "Oh, sorry, Medi. What were you saying?"

"We should we do about their fighting? Should we help them?" she asked.

"I don't really know. It seems like there is something that they know that is beyond our understanding," Link said.

"We should stay where we are. If we interfere with their fight, we would be putting ourselves in danger. This is their fight, not ours," answered Zelda.

Medi nodded and Link gave a look of agreement.

"She's right," said Auru as he turned to them. "Let the Goddesses decide what the outcome will be."

Ainurad and Nid viciously brawled with each other. Blow after blow was exchanged, either missing their mark, or having their attack deflected. Suddenly, the two grappled each other's hands and gripped with intense pressure, trying to break each other's aura-clouded hands.

"How can you let yourself be trampled underfoot by those deceivers?!" yelled Ainurad.

"We are doing the work we were called to do. The Patriarchs are leading us into truth!" Nid pushed against Ainurad. Ainurad slid backward as Nid forced him back. "Face it; you don't have the power to overcome me!"

Ainurad smirked and suddenly performed a back flip, releasing his hands of the hold. As he flipped, he kicked Nid in the face, knocking him back. As soon as Nid came to a halt, he got to his feet again and wiped his face from under his hood. There was blood on his hands.

Ainurad stood erect upon landing and gave a grin. "As I said before, even with my restraints, I can still kill you."

Nid took stance and his aura grew even more than it was previously. A blue light shone from under his darkened hood. "Take your opponent lightly at the cost of your life. I had forgotten this after so long of not tasting battle," The ground beneath Nid's feet crumbled as the aura intensified. "Prepare!" Nid launched a sudden offensive against Ainurad.

Rakam and Eroraf continued to engage in extreme combat. A strange sound substituted the usual clang of clashing steel swords. The swords they had were of an energy self-produced by them. Even at the tremendous speeds at which they fought, not one attack that was launched was at random. Every one was extremely calculated and forced each other to revise their next move for maximum advantage. Suddenly, Eroraf broke the chain of combos with a sudden lunge that nearly caught Rakam off guard, but he blocked it just before it landed. Eroraf pressed his blade on, attempting to break his guard. The look in his eyes was manic, similar to that look he had the night that Rakam and the others met with their life changing fate.

'Traitor! You'll die for your words!'

Rakam frowned as he held back Eroraf's attack. "Is this about that night?" he said, giving Eroraf an equally intense glare.

"Well, aren't you perceptive," Eroraf sarcastically said, continuing to force his way through Rakam's resistance.

"You know that I am right. You cannot deny the fact that the Patriarchs are planning against --!"

"ENOUGH!!!" Eroraf parried Rakam's sword and roundhouse kicked him in the face, knocking him to the ground. "The Patriarchs have let you live long enough!" Eroraf leapt upon Rakam and thrusts his blade at Rakam. At the moment of contact, Rakam moved slightly to the side, dodging the attack. Eroraf was still, as his eyes widened with a mix of fright and surprise. Rakam had stabbed Eroraf in the right arm.

"Curse you," Eroraf quietly muttered, in a harsh tone. Abruptly, he yanked his arm from the wraithlike cutting edge and assumed fighting stance. As Rakam got to his feet, he noticed that Eroraf suddenly became relaxed in his stance. Eroraf softly laughed to himself. "I got ahead of myself. I won't make that mistake again."

Eroraf swiftly attacked Rakam with a side-slash. Rakam parried it, but barely. Eroraf's attacks came faster and faster, each one becoming increasingly unpredictable. Rakam struggled to keep up with this new unprecedented cadence of Eroraf's sword. Unexpectedly, Eroraf spun around quickly, catching Rakam off guard. The strike landed, rending Rakam's cloak and knocking him back. Blood briefly shot from Rakam's slashed body. He winced at the rush of pain that he felt. Eroraf glowered at his helpless opponent. "Through and through, you are inadequate."

Rakam performed a backwards roll to his feet and brandished his sword to keep Eroraf from approaching him. "Don't judge me," he said, pushing away the pain as he spoke.

"I am not casting judgment. I merely am stating a fact," he said as he raised his sword above his head. "You are weak, and you will die."

High above the shrine, Uryan and Silar flew high, attempting to hit each other with the energy spheres that they produced. They avoided flying to high at the risk of high winds and poor visibility through the low, gray clouds.

"Tell me," Silar began to say amidst his attacks, "How is it that Uryan the Calculated chooses to follow the will of the Patriarchs so obediently?"

Uryan said as he continued his assault, "I do so because the will of the Patriarchs is absolute. They are not doing what you say they do."

Silar formed orbs of energy on both of his hands and rushed through the air at Uryan. Uryan quickly formed two orbs of his own and met Silar's hands. They hung suspended in the air, holding back one another. "I can see right through your vanity. You have your own agenda for helping them, don't you?" Silar said, frowning at him.

"Do not mistake me for one of your kind, traitor," Uryan said. Immediately thereafter, the spheres in Uryan's hands exploded, throwing Silar away from him in the process. Uryan followed up by throwing another ball at the flying Silar. The ball connected, discharging on Silar and tossing him about even more. Uryan pursued him, preparing for another attack, when Silar faced Uryan and stretched out his arms, releasing a volley of energy orbs at Uryan. He tried his best to dodge them, but a few hit him, knocking him out of the sky. They both fell to the shrine, neither attempting to recover. Just before they hit the ground, both suddenly turned themselves upright and halted their fall just inches from the ground, shattering the floor beneath them and sending a rush of wind running through the shrine.

"You claim in your self-righteousness that you are loyal to the Patriarchs, but you have loyalty only to your own ends, is that right?" Silar yelled.

Uryan dashed at Silar and threw a ball at him, of which Silar expertly deflected with an orb of his own.

Silar grinned. "Perhaps I know too much?" he said, sarcastically.

Uryan stood plainly. "Do you really bear so much bitterness for your banishment, that you have become so cynical, Silar?"

Silar's eyes flashed before they darkened at the statement. "It runs much deeper than that. It's the fact that I've been taught ALL of my life that I would one day serve the Hero, and then I come to find out that the Patriarchs never intended to adhere to the prophecy of the oracle." Silar's aura suddenly flashed, creating a loud boom. "It was the pain of discovering that you were nothing but a pawn in the games of fattened swine!" Energy balls formed once again in Silar's hands. "HOW CAN YOU CONTINUE TO LIVE IN IGNORANCE!?!" Silar put his hands together and a suddenly beam of blue energy emitted from his hands at Uryan. Uryan quickly formed a shield in front of him and blocked the rush of extreme energy that came at him. The beam had so much power, that it pushed Uryan back as he sustained his protection against it. After a moment, the beam ceased, allowing Uryan to release the ethereal shield he created.

"You truly have lost sight of what it means to be a Ranul, haven't you?" noted Uryan, half in lament, the other half in disgust.

Nid's constant flow of attacks overwhelmed Ainurad, who was put on the defensive. The intensity and speed of Nid's punches and kicks far exceeded Ainurad's original ideas. Just as Ainurad blocked a punch, Nid launched a surprise kick, hitting Ainurad hard in the face. Ainurad flew back, but recovered to his feet before he hit the ground.

"Nid is way more intense than he previously was…"

As soon as he finished his thought, Nid was already upon him. The fray continued just as it was. Ainurad struggled increasingly to keep up with the storm of melee attacks. Suddenly, Ainurad pulled away from Nid, surprising him. "If I can't kill you, I'll destroy the whole point of your mission then!" Nid noticed Ainurad's eyes suddenly change, wearing a desperately frenetic expression.

"No, you fool," Nid said, almost in a whisper.

Ainurad suddenly darted in Link's direction, preparing a killing blow. Link noticed from the corner of his eye, that Ainurad was charging him. Astonished by the sudden shift, Link reacted by unsheathing his sword to defend. As soon as Ainurad was within range, Link swung at him, but Ainurad slipped past the attack and brought up his fist for the death blow. Time suddenly seemed to slow down as the blow came closer to its intended target. A flash of light abruptly filled the air. Upon receding, Link's eyes witnessed startling scene. Ainurad's fist rested just below Link's chin, but he was seemingly frozen stiff. Rakam's ghostly sword ran through Ainurad's heart.

"…What…is this?" Ainurad asked silently, trying to keep his betrayed eyes from succumbing to the grip of death.

Rakam's eyes suddenly filled with tears. "I don't know, something just came over me."

Ainurad's face twisted into an agonizing look. "You…" He slumped on Rakam's blade before he could finish his sentence. His life had met its unfortunate end, and at the hands of his brother.

Silar's eyes were dilated as he watched in dismay. "Rakam, how could you betray us?!"

Rakam unsheathed his blade from Ainurad's body. "Brother, what we're doing is wrong! What happened to us? Why are we betraying our ideals?"

"Because we were betrayed! There is no Chosen Hero! There is no evil! All there is are lies! The Patriarchs have --!" Silar was suddenly cut short by an energy ball from Uryan that exploded on his head, instantly killing him. His body quickly tumbled to the ground in an undignified way.

"Discuss your differences on the other side," Uryan said to Silar's empty body. He formed a new orb of force in his hands and looked to Rakam. "You will be there to continue your quarrel with him, one who has twice betrayed."

Rakam took stance at this challenge. With three of them against him, Rakam knew he had no chance, but he wasn't going to give in to them either.

"Die!" Uryan yelled, suddenly tossing the orb at Rakam. Rakam deflected the attack with his sword, but he noticed that Eroraf was upon him also, preparing to strike. Rakam flinched closing his eyes at the coming death. Instead of feeling his body jerk upon Eroraf's tainted blade, he heard a clash. He opened his eyes to see that Link had blocked Eroraf's attack.

"Link, what is the meaning of this?" Eroraf asked, confused at why Link stopped him.

"I need some answers. Nothing that has taken place here has made any sense. Why are you all fighting? Why would he betray his own comrades to protect me?"

"Link, this man is a danger to us all! We need to kill him!"

"If he was truly dangerous, I would be dead by now," Link said. "Have you been hiding something from me this whole time?"

Eroraf grunted slightly and then he pulled his blade away from Link's. "I really hoped that it wouldn't have to come to this, but there seems to be no way out."

Link became perplexed. "No way out of what?"

Rakam stepped forward. "Chosen Hero, these men are trying to use you as a sacrifice!"

Link looked at Eroraf. "Is…this true?"

"No, it's not. That isn't the real truth behind it."

Uryan interjected, saying, "We are trying to help you, but they are trying to deceive you!"

"Lies! You were planning to betray the Hero and the Patriarchs all along! Only those who are not considered member of the tribe address them as 'Patriarchs'! This whole time, you've been referring to them as such, proving your plans of betrayal," Rakam refuted.

"No, that's not --!" Nid was suddenly interrupted by Uryan, who began to laugh in a manic manner. The laughter continued, growing more and more distorted with each syllable. Everyone looked in awe as they tried to comprehend the joke that only Uryan seemed to understand. The mirth suddenly ceased and Uryan regained proper posture, his attention on Link and Rakam.

"Congratulations, Rakam. You finally managed to uncover the big surprise!" he said.

"So you have been lying to us this whole time, you snake!" Auru suddenly spouted.

"Was this whole mission a set-up for Link?" asked Zelda.

Nid turned to Zelda. "I should ask you a similar question. Were you trying to set us up, Princess Zelda of Hyrule?"

Zelda gasped loudly. "So you knew all this time then," she said, almost to herself.

"You think we are that dense? And why don't you call out your Sheikah friend while you're at it," said Nid, sardonically.

"I'm right here for you," the Sheikah watchman answered, standing near Jabu-Jabu's pool of partially frozen water. "I had a feeling that you were on to us."

How long have you three been planning this?" Mikau said, glaring at Uryan. He opened his ulna fins as if preparing for combat.

"Well, since this journey started, this plan has been in motion, however, there is one thing wrong with Rakam's accusations. We do not intend to betray the Patriarchs. We would have been long since dead if that were the case," said Uryan.

"How is that so? Your words betray you," Rakam rebutted.

"Haven't you ever wondered how the Patriarchs found out about your betrayal? The can peer into your consciousness and read your inner-most thoughts. They would have been able to see that we were going to betray them if we had such a heart."

Rakam suddenly remembered the conversation of the Patriarchs.

_'What could you tell from the boy's thoughts?'_

Rakam tightened his fist upon remembering.

Nid smiled. "From the look on your face, I can tell that you remember what we mean."

Rakam turned to Nid. "Still, you are planning to betray the Hero."

"That is true, I can't refute that," answered Uryan.

"So," Auru began, "What is the story behind the Fused Shadows?"

"I thought we already went over that on Death Mountain," Eroraf said.

"That whole story was a lie," interjected the Sheikah watchman. "Your Patriarchs aren't the only ones who can see through falsehoods,"

"Oh yes," began Uryan, "I forgot that the Sheikah are able to see the unseen. If you want the real story, then here it is: the Fused Shadows aren't something that we found for the tribe, we made it."

"What are you talking about? I never heard of anything called a Fused Shadow!" said Rakam.

"Of course you wouldn't have. The Fused Shadow has enough power to overcome even Grandfather. Something with so much power had to be kept a secret," replied Eroraf.

"Then what is the real story behind why Anodro and Dogoro had pieces of it?" asked Link.

"Anodro didn't really steal it, we gave him a piece," Nid said.

"Gave it to him?" asked Darmani.

"Yes. We his purpose was to cause strife in Kokiri Forest so the way for Link would be prepared. There must be conflict in order to provide the Hero with a proving ground," explained Nid.

"Then why would you allow Link to kill one of your comrades?" Darmani asked.

Uryan chuckled lightly. "That fool was never our 'comrade'. He was also an exile, like this traitor before us, and we simply manipulated his hatred for the Patriarchs by telling him that we planned to betray them and that we were going to give him the power to take the Kokiri Emerald from the Great Deku Tree. Obviously, we knew that he didn't have the power to take on the Deku Tree, so we told him that he would have to die, but he would later be brought to life again by us once we became gods by the power of the Triforce."

Link recalled Anodro's last words.

_'…My gods will…make…sure…of…'_

"So you plan to gain the power to return him to life?" Link asked.

"Don't be daft; he was just a pawn in the Patriarch's games. No one plans to bring that exile back," said Uryan.

"How did Dogoro gain a piece?" asked Darmani.

"After watching the Goron tribe for a few weeks, we saw the bitterness of that old rock and we knew that he would act against the tribe's leader if he gained the power to do so. Knowing that, we planted the Fused Shadow piece where he would find it, and the rest is history," explained Nid.

"So the conflicts in the forest and at Death Mountain were just fabrications?" asked Auru.

"Frankly, yes, but Rakam's group's interference was not part of our plan. Originally, we had bought out the support of the Bulblins before we started our journey, but somehow Rakam, Silar, and Ainurad paid higher," said Uryan.

"But that wasn't all of it." Rakam said, "They also didn't like the way you used them to test out the Hero's skill either. They said that they would rather fight freely than to be used as decoys."

"Either way, they are now with us again," said Uryan.

"So, if the first two conflicts were orchestrated by you three, then does this mean that you planned for all of this to happen?" asked the Sheikah watchman.

"Well, no," started Eroraf, "Their involvement was not our doing, but now that I think of it, I believe that the Patriarchs had thought of this from the beginning."

_'I have said it before, they needn't die,'_

"So that's why the Patriarchs didn't kill us," Rakam said, surprised at the revelation. "So, even though we chose to defy them, we end up being used!" he yelled angrily.

"There is no way to escape your role as a piece in our games," said Uryan.

Link took stance to fight. "Now that we have you all discovered, what do you plan to do now?"

"There are still other ways to get to the sacred realm," Uryan said, "But first," He formed energy orbs in both his hands. "We will be taking the Spiritual Stones from you."

Rakam formed his sword and prepared to fight. "I finally understand how to free myself from their grasp; fight for the Hero."

Link glanced at Rakam and smirked at his newfound determination.

"Don't worry Link," Darmani said, taking stance, "Your comrades fight with you!"

Auru formed a fighting stance with Darmani. "He is right. We will overcome them together!"

Zelda, Medi, the Sheikah watchman, and Mikau all prepared to fight as well.

Link looked back at all of them and smiled confidently. "Thank you, everyone."

"LET'S GO, HERO!" Uryan yelled as he lunged at Link to do battle.


	53. Chapter 52: Behind the Deceit

**Chapter 52: Behind the Deceit**

~~~_'Thou and thine comrades art in peril. Thou must stay strong, and pure. Thou must remember thine purpose to overcome the shadow that will take thee unawares.'_

Those were the words the Great Deku Tree spoke to Link just before he learned of his destiny as Hyrule's Hero. He could not find meaning in what he meant by saying such, but then he became Dark Link and found meaning in the warning. But after all that had transpired before him, Link was beginning to believe that the warning went much deeper than that. It seemed as if the Deku Tree was trying to warn him of Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf's betrayal; a warning that was interpreted all too late.

Link's Ogenbard deflected the barrage of energy balls that careened at him. Uryan aggressively continued his offensive against Link, trying to find a way to land an off-guard hit. Link began expertly turning aside the attack when Eroraf unexpectedly made an appearance and unleashed an attack with his sword. Link blocked the attempt with his shield and forced him back, following with a vertical strike that Eroraf evaded. A shinning projectile came Eroraf's way and hit him in the arm, blowing him to the ground. Auru stepped near. "I'll keep him busy!" He holstered his crossbow and went to meet Eroraf.

An unseen fist came at Link suddenly from his side, but was repelled by Rakam. Nid appeared before them and began winding a punch, only to be forced to dodge and unseen attack. He looked toward the Sheikah watchman's way. "You sneaky dog."

The Sheikah didn't respond to his insult, instead only posing for battle with needles held in both his hands.

Nid faced him. "Fine then, let's go!" He darted after the Sheikah watchman and they suddenly and quickly engaged each other, both going faster than the normal eye could watch. Before Link noticed, another salvo of deadly energy was coming at him. He desperately leaped out of the way as the attack collided with the ground.

"You were just what we hoped for, Link. I'm glad to see that first hand," Uryan said.

Link took a fighting stance and faced Uryan. "I don't suppose you want me to thank you for that."

"Surely not," Uryan said, shaking his head with a condescending smile, "I was merely commenting on your skill in combat. I was at first afraid that your power lie solely with Dark Link's existence, but since he hasn't recently made an appearance, it has testified to your own strength and skill that allowed you to conquer the dragon and the other challenges up to now."

"Dark Link?" asked Rakam, confused at their exclusive conversation.

"Yes," Uryan answered, "He was going to become a creature of the darkness, but we stopped it from happening, only for that side-effect to occur."

"You only saved him because he was a valuable piece in the Patriarch's games!" Rakam rebuked.

"If that's what you want to believe then go ahead, it doesn't change the fact that it happened," said Uryan.

"So even that was just a means to use me!" Link interjected, glowering at him.

Uryan formed energy orbs in both of his hands. "Frankly Link, yes, it was. Now there's no need for you anymore."

Rakam formed his sword. "No need? What do you--?" He was abruptly interrupted by a sudden lunge from Uryan. Uryan pushed his energy-filled palms at him, but Rakam blocked the attack and parried, trying to swing at him. Uryan disappeared before the attack landed and suddenly reappeared behind Link and struck his back with the palm of his hand. Link fell forward and then swiftly rolled onto his feet once again to avoid being caught off-guard twice. Uryan tossed one of the energy balls at Link, but Link stuck the sphere with his sword, sending it back at Uryan. The force connected with Uryan, blasting him to the ground. Uryan recovered to his feet in a manner that seemed as if a mysterious force pulled him to his feet.

"You're even more powerful than I anticipated. I can't take you lightly," he said, keeping his hand on the smoking wound that the energy ball created.

Rakam leaped in front of him suddenly, and swung his sword, missing slightly as Uryan strafed to the side. Without warning, Zelda appeared before Uryan with her Kodachi drawn. She quickly lunged at him, preparing her attack. Uryan attempted to strafe away from the attack, but he was too slow. The Kodachi hit its mark, stabbing Uryan in his torso. He forced himself away from her, holding his profusely bleeding gash. Zelda made another attempt at him, but Uryan quickly made a hand motion, creating a force field between him and her, repelling her. "You devious cur!"

Zelda stood ready beside Link and Rakam. "No, you are the one who is full of deception."

Eroraf fiercely fought off the quick-witted Auru with his sword. Auru used nothing but blades that extended from the wrist of both his hands to attack Eroraf. Eroraf was quite surprised at the unexpected display of strength, speed, and skill of the seemingly old man known as Auru. Each strike Auru made was carefully done with accuracy, keeping Eroraf on defense. As the fray went on, Auru suddenly made a surprise dual strike with both his blades, forcing Eroraf to jump away from him. As soon as that happened, two flying object landed a blow on Eroraf's sword arm. Eroraf grunted loudly as he took the surprise attack. The two objects came to a rest on Mikau's arms. Auru followed up by kicking Eroraf in the face, knocking him to the ground. Mikau continued the consecutive attack by lunging at the fallen Eroraf to land a killing blow, but Eroraf motioned his hands, causing a powerful gale to blow through, throwing Mikau far from him. As Eroraf got to his feet, Auru suddenly launched another attack with his blades, but Eroraf meticulously blocked the attack and parried, cutting Auru's arm slightly. Strangely, Eroraf chuckled slightly upon getting to both his feet.

"What do you find to be so funny?" asked Mikau as he approached the field of battle once again.

Eroraf stood at ease as he finished his giggling. "I had no idea that we had selected such an elite group of warriors when we started this mission. I'm really impressed with both myself and the irony of my situation."

"The irony?" said Auru, looking confused.

"I hired you all to help us, and now, I am forced to kill you all. Life sure has a sense of humor," Eroraf casually said to them.

"You twisted monster!" Mikau darted rapidly at Eroraf and struck with his fins, but Eroraf blocked the sudden lunge with ease. Auru continued with a strike of his own, but he was blocked by another sword in Eroraf's free hand that had suddenly manifested itself.

"No more games," Eroraf ominously stated. He deflected both of them with a sweeping motion and then he took a stance with both of his swords. His wounded arm was held low, apparently affecting him to a degree.

Auru smirked slightly. "So, we can finally get serious now."

"I was serious about killing both of you from the start of this," Eroraf rebutted.

Both the Sheikah watchman and Nid were at a moving stand-still. The Sheikah's pointed strikes and Nid's powerful punches countered each other, creating a deadly mass of unstable equilibrium that could explode at any second. Nid suddenly punched the ground, creating a shockwave that caused the ground to sink further than it already had from the fracas. The Sheikah, however, suddenly appeared above him and launched several needles down on Nid. Nid caught each one in his hand, to much surprise. Nid then, instead of tossing them back at the Sheikah, threw them behind him. They were all knocked aside by Medi's Kodachi. Nid blocked the Sheikah's next attempt to attack as he came to the ground, and pushed him back. "A two on one, that's seems a bit one-sided," Nid noted.

A powerful fist suddenly struck Nid's face, throwing him to the ground. Darmani raised both his fist. "You're wrong; it's a three on one."

Nid stood up and wiped his face beneath his hood. "Fine then, that's fair enough. Even the three of you are outmatch when compared to me."

"Don't be so sure of yourself," said the Sheikah watchman with an indifferent expression in his eyes.

"Let's test my theory then!" Nid suddenly turned on Darmani and launched a sudden flurry of melee moves. Darmani blocked the first few, but he couldn't keep up with Nid's furious pace. Nid downed Darmani with a sharp uppercut and then he immediately went after Medi. She raised her Kodachi to defend herself as he came upon her. He flew his fist at her, but she dodged it deftly and stabbed at him. He returned the favor, dodging her attack also, and then he brought his elbow down at her. She rolled forward to dodge the attack, and simultaneously, she threw several shuriken at Nid. They all hit him, causing him to stumble back from the pain. Suddenly, the Sheikah watchman appeared behind Nid and brought a needle to his neck. Before the attack could land, Nid vanished in a flash of light and materialized above Medi, bringing down a kick on her. Medi looked up and saw the looming foot of Nid coming at her. She attempted to move, but she wasn't going to escape the attack. Suddenly, Nid's kick was negated by the Sheikah watchman's own kick that went against his. A loud thundering boom echoed through the shrine as the two blows cancelled each other. They both landed on the ground and came at each other. Just before they initiated their fray once again, Darmani suddenly came down on Nid in his curled state. Nid, however, caused the air above him to suddenly ignite, creating an explosion that repelled Darmani. The Sheikah took advantage of the surprise attack by jabbing Nid in his stomach, making Nid stumble back, coughing.

"Do you still think you outmatch us?" Medi said, confidently.

Nid spat blood from his concealed mouth. "Don't get excited for merely having a momentary --!" Suddenly, Uryan crashed into Nid. They both fell to the ground and then quickly regained their footing. Nid looked at Uryan. "What happened to you?"

Uryan was holding his chest. It had been singed from an attack of his own deflected back at him. "The Hero, he's tougher than I though." Immediately after Uryan spoke, Eroraf appeared with them.

"Brothers, we're being overwhelmed," he said, keeping his stance, despite the many cuts his body wore.

The Sheikah suddenly attacked Nid, forcing him to block his attack. At the same time, Link lunged at Uryan and Auru at Eroraf. Every attack was blocked simultaneously. Soon after, Medi followed the Sheikah's attack with one of her own, along with Mikau, and Zelda. A bright flash happened, and then receded, with Eroraf and Nid in another part of the shrine. Uryan, however, remained in place. Zelda's Kodachi ran through his body completely.

"Brother!!!" Eroraf yelled out.

Zelda yanked her Kodachi from Uryan's shocked body and he slumped to his knees first, and then he fell down to the ground slowly. The one who had played them all like pathetic puppets on steel strings had finally fallen. Once he hit the ground, his hood fell back, revealing his face. What was there caused Zelda to shriek in extreme horror and astonishment. It was not the enigmatic face that they expected to find, but it was Impa, Zelda's attendant.

"What? Impa, you were the one behind all of this?" yelled Link angrily.

"No, she's not," answered Auru. All of them turned to Auru, who seemed to have a frightening expression on his face, compared to the sage-like face he usually had.

"Is there something you want to tell us also, Auru?" the Sheikah watchman asked.

Auru smiled and answered, "I am Uryan."

A flood of shock ran through the war-torn shrine as his words echoed off into the distance.

"If you are Uryan, then what does she have to do with this?" asked Link.

Zelda was kneeling by Impa, who seemed to be barely conscious about what was happening.

"The little wretch was spying on us and found out too much," said Nid. "We couldn't let her go free after that."

Zelda looked up at them. "Why was she spying on you? She wasn't assigned to that mission, someone else was!"

"Your Highness," interrupted the Sheikah watchman, "We only told you that she was busy with another job, but the truth was that she took on that job herself. When she didn't report back, we knew that the worst had become of her and we decided not to tell you, knowing that you're judgment would be impaired if you knew." Zelda looked at the Sheikah with a betrayed look. His eyes fell as he said, "Forgive me, Your Highness."

Zelda looked at Impa, who looked around the shrine with a look of bewilderment. "Impa," Zelda whispered as she stroked the Sheikan woman's face.

"If she wasn't involved with this, then why was she posing as you?" asked Link.

The man once known as Auru pointed to his head and spoke, "Mind control. I separated my consciousness into two and lived through both myself and Impa's body," he explained.

Rakam approached Uryan. "What did you do with your body, Uryan?"

"His body?" asked Darmani. "But isn't that him?"

"No, it's not. I've seen him before, unlike the rest of you," said Rakam, keeping his focus on Uryan.

"This body is merely a disguise so that I could move amongst the shadows of Hyrule. Obviously, that will no longer be beneficial to me."

Uryan suddenly leaped away from them to his comrades. "Taking the stones from you will have to wait, no that we've lost our element of surprise."

Rakam formed his sword. "Are you meaning to run from us after what you've done?"

"Call it what you want. We have lost our advantage, and we will now be taking our leave," he replied. "Hero," he said, shifting his focus to Link, "You will not live to touch the Master Sword. Understand that well," Uryan said, narrowing his eyes.

Suddenly, they all vanished with a flash, and were gone.

"Impa!" Zelda yelled to the fading woman.

Impa's head lay on Zelda's lap. The Sheikah's once cold and perceptive eyes were now hazed and her skin was deathly pale. Her breathing was unsteady and sent chills down Zelda's spine. Everyone ran to be at Impa's side and provide any kind of support they could.

"Does anyone have anything to close her wound?" urged Mikau.

"I have something!" Medi spoke, reaching into one of her pouches on her belt.

"Don't bother," said the Sheikah watchman.

Medi looked at him in a confused way. "What do you mean don't worry? She's dying!"

"That's exactly what I mean! She is dying and there isn't anything we can do to stop it. You're a Sheikah, you should be able to see that!" he said. His eyes turned to Impa. "Believe me; if there was anything we could do, I would have done it by now."

Impa's eyes shifted slowly to Zelda. "Zelda…is that you?" she asked.

A tear formed in the corner of Zelda's eye. "Yes, Impa, it's me."

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you…sooner," Impa said.

Zelda held Impa closer. "You don't have to be sorry; you did it to save Hyrule."

Impa looked to Link. "Forgive my actions against you, Hero."

Link smiled uneasily, "It wasn't your fault; you were being controlled."

Impa shook her head lightly, "Yes, it is… I was…weak."

The withheld tears in Zelda's eyes suddenly fell down her face. "No, don't say that! You aren't weak. You're the strongest woman I know."

"Hero," Impa said, "Do not be…fooled… They still need you," she said to him.

"What do you mean?" Link asked.

She didn't answer, instead, shifting attention to Zelda. "I will always…love…you…" Suddenly, her body fell limp as a long held breath left her lungs slowly. Zelda didn't bother fooling herself into denial; Impa was dead. She cried loudly as she buried her head in Impa's body. The mood was solemn. Everyone stood still as Zelda wept her loss.

After awhile, Zelda looked up to them with tired eyes. "We can't leave her here, we must take her."

"I'll carry her," said the Sheikah watchman. "It's the least I can do for Her Highness," he said, kneeling to Impa's body. "And for Impa."

As he went to grab the body, he suddenly gasped, as his attention became fixed. "There's something in her mouth!" he said in astonishment.

"What?" said Link, walking over to see what the Sheikah watchman saw. When he looked, he saw nothing. "What are you talking about, I don't see it."

The Sheikah looked over to Medi. "Hey, Medi, you come look."

She came to the body and peeked into Impa's mouth. She shrieked and then fell back at the sight. "What's in her mouth?" she yelled.

"That's what I thought," the Sheikah said, "It's invisible."

Rakam investigated the mouth to see what was in there. "So that's how he did it," he muttered to himself.

"What did you say?" Link asked.

"He was using a parasite to control this woman's thoughts and actions. It's invisible to the normal eye, allowing it to take over its victim with ease. Uryan created one to use Impa as a decoy for himself," Rakam explained.

Zelda pounded the ground in anger. "That monster! He cannot get away with the crimes he has done!"

"Calm thyself, child," a loud, majestic voice sounded.

Everyone turned to Lord Jabu-Jabu, who apparently had been watching patiently.

"Vengeance brings destruction. Do not use it as thy motive," he rebuked.

Zelda's eyes fell.

"The cursed three now move to leave Zora's Domain. They do not mean to take the Zora Sapphire, as they understand that they cannot obtain the Spiritual Stone without the Hero having laid hands on it, so thou can rest easy," he explained.

"I wonder what they're planning then," Rakam said.

"Princess, of Hyrule," said Lord Jabu-Jabu, "Do not worry thyself about the woman's body. I will take it."

Zelda nodded and then softly let Impa's body down as she stood to her feet. "Goodbye Impa."

A majestic blue light enraptured Impa's body and lifted it into the air. As it went higher, it began to dematerialize until it no longer remained.

"Now that I have regained my power, I shall restore my realm to its normal state," stated Lord Jabu-Jabu. It suddenly splashed the frozen water around it and a radiant light emitted from the fish. The air suddenly became warm as the light continued, and the ice that encased the cave suddenly began cracking as it rapidly melted under the sudden temperature change. The light slowly receded until it disappeared. The shrine was no longer a frozen place. "The land is normal again, but it will be unstable for a while. Take caution as you journey down from this place. Go thy way now!"


	54. Chapter 53: The Inquiry

**Chapter 53: The Inquiry**

~~~Once again, Viscen found himself in the Private Meeting Chamber. This would mark their third official meeting since the Tribe of Ranul and the Kingdom of Hyrule began their diplomatic relations. As far as diplomacy went, however, they were far from allies; they were both on the brink of an all-out war. He hoped deeply that both parties would come to an understanding and that no further blood shed would happen.

Viscen sat at the table with the General, the Chief of Sheikah, the King, and the last advisor. On the opposite side sat the Supreme Patriarch and his nine Patriarchs, along with his nine guards who stood behind them. The clouds caused a gray light to shine through the windows into the room, setting a dire tone for what was about to take place.

"This is our third meeting now through these five days we've known each other, is it not?" began the King, initiating the meeting.

"Yes, Your Majesty, it has been that long," answered the Supreme Patriarch in his emotionless voice.

"I'm sure that you are aware by now of the death of two of my advisors, aren't you?" the King said, testing the Patriarch's knowledge.

"Yes, I have heard. There seems to be some sort of controversy about their deaths," he said.

The General rested his arms at the edge of the table. "There is some controversy about these happenings. One of the advisors who died assaulted one of my Knights and me. He was clothed in one of the outfits your guards wear."

One of the other Patriarchs leaned forward and said, "Do you mean to suspect us of such treachery?" he said with a flicker of outrage in his voice.

The General's eyes focused on the Patriarch. "Yes, I do mean to --!"

"That is enough, Sir General," the King interrupted, standing to his feet. "We are not accusing anyone of anything. This meeting is meant to settle a dire matter in the most peaceful way," he said, and then took his seat once again.

"Your Majesty, you say that one of your advisors wore the outfit of one of our men?" asked the Supreme Patriarch.

"That is what I have come to understand. I did not witness it for myself," said the King.

"The outfit disappeared from his body immediately after his death," added Viscen.

"How can you say he was one of ours when you have no evidence to support your claims?" countered one of the Patriarchs.

Viscen lowered his head slightly, realizing that they had no real claim that it was one of their men.

"And there was the death of my latest advisor. He was going on a rampage throughout the Castle. Did any of you happen to run into him?" asked the King.

"No, we did not see him. What happened?" said the Supreme Patriarch.

"His psyche apparently broke and he went on a killing spree, killing six people last night. We ended up having to take him down," answered the Chief of Sheikah.

"That's unfortunate," the Supreme Patriarch said.

The King put his elbows on the table and held up his head with his hands. "Is there anything at all that you know about any of these events? Now is the time to tell me,"

The Supreme Patriarch was silent for a moment before he said, "No, Your Majesty. We have no part in these events,"

The King stood to his feet. "Tomorrow at this time, we will have the last of our meetings in the Throne room, where I will officially dissolve your tribe into Hyrule. Is that well with you?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," the Supreme Patriarch answered.

"My Twelve Knights of Hyrule, escort the Supreme Patriarch's party to the Northern Tower," the King concluded as he opened the door and walked out of it.

Everyone in the room was still for a moment before Viscen finally stood from his chair and formed around the Patriarchs. The other eleven Knights followed his example and they all left the room.

They walked through the Castle to the Northern Tower. The Knights and the Patriarchs were all silent as they moved. The feeling of instability was thick in their midst. Viscen felt as if he was suffocating just by being near the Patriarchs. It reminded him of the first time he came here.

"Knight," he heard a voice call to him.

Viscen looked around to see who said that.

"Yes, you there," The voice came from the person that Viscen feared talking to: the Supreme Patriarch.

Viscen moved near him upon his beckoning. "Yes, Supreme Patriarch?"

"I am very surprised that you were able to defend yourself against that madman last night. Commendable," he ominously commented.

Viscen felt bullets of sweat form all over him. Just as he thought, the Supreme Patriarch knew very well about what had taken place that night.

"Heh heh, you really thought that I was going to forget about you? He was really meant to kill you, but I see that I greatly underestimated your ability,"

_'Continue to impede me, Viscen, and you will suffer a fate worse than the advisors have.'_

"You aren't going to get away with it, whatever you hope to do with all of this," Viscen said, not facing the Supreme Patriarch in order to avoid attracting attention.

"You haven't a fathom what I intend to do, so how do you even know how to stop me?"

"Trust me, I will find a way."

"And I will make sure you die before I accomplish my goal," he said in a manner of finality.

Viscen distanced himself from the Patriarch upon the finishing of his sentence. He definitely knew that he needed to stay on his guard at all times with this increased declaration of war between the two of them.

The General sped down the hallway in an effort to catch up to the King, who had left the meeting room earlier than everyone else. Though nothing was happening yet, there was a quiet disturbance that seemed to pollute the Castle. It would be only a matter of time before the tension snapped; and when that happens, tranquility won't be secured until a mighty price is exacted. This idea was one that every soldier in the Castle knew, but no one discussed it, out of fear of speaking it into existence. As the General continued down the hallway, he caught sight of the King and he quickened his pace.

"Your Majesty."

The King stopped and looked back. "Oh, General, what do you have to say?"

The General stopped in front of him and said, "What decision did you make?"

The King looked at the General and then sighed, closing his eyes. He held this look for a few seconds before he looked up to a window across the hall. "We must rally the tribes of Hyrule. There is no doubt that a conflict is coming."

The General gasped slightly. "You mean, we're going –."

"To war," the King finished his sentence in the grimmest manner, making firm eye contact with the General. "Yes, Sir General, we are going to war. Whatever it takes, we must ensure the safety of both the people and the Triforce. The Hero is doing what he can right now. We must also do our part."

"Do you think that the Supreme Patriarch really did orchestrate the murders of the advisors now?" the General asked.

"I do. When Viscen noted the fact that the robe on the body of one of the advisors disappearing, the Supreme Patriarch refuted saying that we had no evidence that they were involved. Those sound like the words of the guilty," the King explained as he began to continue down the hallway.

"What should we do with them then, Your Majesty?" the General asked, following the King.

"We continue to be as peaceable as we can with them for now. But," He paused for a moment. "Increase the security throughout the Castle and warn every soldier, guard, and Knight that they must be cautious of everything that is suspicious. We can't let another incident like what happened last night take place again. Also, make sure that nothing comes of our last advisor," the King said in a concluding manner.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the General answered. "And I will personally see to the advisor's safety," he added as he parted ways from the King.

Link and the rest traveled down a mountain path, heading back to Zora's Domain. They couldn't go through the tunnel, because it was only a one way conduit, sealed on both ends once passed through. The ice and snow that encased the mountain was still as present as ever, but much of it was melting away. Water ran down the mountainside in streams, and in other places, it made the ground very muddy, making the trail more perilous than it was before. The clouds continued to block the sun, keeping the frozen land from melting too fast for its own good. After they retrieved the Zora Sapphire, the way to the Master Sword would be completely open for them.

_'You will not live to touch the Master Sword. Understand that well,'_

Those words from Uryan stayed in Link's conscience. The threat of death was much more present than ever before, now that the underlying evil that moved within Hyrule's shadows had been revealed. Link jumped as he felt a hand touch his shoulder. He looked behind him to see the Sheikah watchman.

"It's over for now, Link," he said to him.

"What do you mean?" Link asked.

"If you dwell on things too much, you'll end up making yourself less than you actually are. Move forward with strong decision. Looking back too much will make you blind to what is ahead of you," the Sheikah answered.

Link stared at him for a second in wonder. "H-how did you --?"

"One thing I've noticed about you since you began your adventure is that you wear your emotions as clear as your clothes; it's not hard to tell what you're thinking," he said. "But, like I said, don't worry. We will have all three of the Spiritual Stones and then we can get to the Master Sword."

Link gave a reassuring smirk to the Sheikah.

As they continued their descent, the flowing waters of Zora River came into view, followed by the sight of the Zora's Domain. Once they reached the Domain, a group of Zora guards met them and led them to the Zora King's throne room. Once there, they ascended the platform in the middle of the room to speak with the King.

"I see that you all have completed your task of returning the land to its former state. The harsh ice and snow is melting, giving my people back the lives they once had." King Zora said. "Of course, it will take a while for the climate to truly regain its former condition," As King Zora looked around at their group; he caught sight of Rakam and the Sheikah watchman. "There are two more people with you than the last time I saw you…and it appears that some others are missing as well," he said in surprise.

Mikau stepped forward. "These two who are with us did not at first come with the rest of us, staying back at our caravans. And as for the missing ones," Mikau stopped his sentence.

"They went back to the caravans to prepare for our departure," answered the Sheikah watchman.

Mikau looked at the Sheikah half confused.

"Oh, I see then. I had forgotten how short on time you must be with your journey," King Zora said as he stood from his throne. He took of his crown made from a strange fish skull and took off a bright blue jewel, and then he put the crown on again. "This is the Zora Sapphire," he said. An air of reverence filled the room as he held out the radiant gem. The Zora King's eyes focused on Link. "Hero, take this Stone and go forth to save Hyrule."

Link nodded and went to the King took the Sapphire from him. "Thank you Hero, for returning our land to normal. You have the support of my tribe, should you ever need my help," he quietly said to him. He looked to one of the nearby guards and nodded. The guard then walked to the platform, along with a few other guards. "My men will escort you all to the exit. May the Goddesses clear the way for you," he said in parting. Link and the rest followed the guards out of the throne room.

"Mikau," the King's voice echoed through. Mikau looked back to his father.

"Be careful, my son."

Mikau nodded with a soft smile and then continued out the throne room.

The troop of Zora guards disappeared behind the waterfall after they finished their escorting task. Link and the rest of the group descended from the cliff. As he walked down, he noticed the Bulblin camp that was at the edge of the river. He wondered if Uryan and the rest had passed through there as they left, or if they were still somewhere around. After a while, they made it to the camp. Hundreds of Bulblins prowled the base camp. It brought to Link's mind the memories of the night he raided the Bulblin camp at the foot of Death Mountain.

"Hey, why aren't the Bulblins attacking you all?" Rakam asked, looking around at the Bulblins who walked past them in an indifferent manner.

"Oh, you didn't know?" Link began, "They chose to follow us after we defeated them on the way here."

Rakam's eyes widened. "You defeated them? But they outnumbered you all greatly."

"I had a duel their leader and defeated him. Then he recognized us as strong and chose our side to fight for."

Rakam frowned slightly. "So they betrayed us that easily. I guess it explains why they turned against Uryan so willingly."

As they walked through the camp, they saw the new King Bulblin walking toward them. "Have you defeated those three?" he asked as he came to a stop in front of Link.

"Yes, we did, but it came with a great price," Link answered.

"A great price?" he asked.

"The three cloaked men in our group betrayed us," Link said, with slight anger in his voice.

"They betrayed you? I knew that they were no good –Hey!" the Bulblin King exclaimed, "Why is he here?" he said angrily, pointing at Rakam.

Link noticed who he was pointing at and said, "He sided with us, there's nothing to worry about."

King Bulblin glowered at Rakam briefly and then turned back to Link. "Are you prepared to leave?" he asked.

"Yes we are. When will your camp be ready to ride?"

"We will be ready now, if needed."

"Good. Get them prepared to leave then," Link said.

"It will be done," King Bulblin answered and then walked away, shouting commands at passing Bulblin.

"Hey, you," Mikau said, trying to get the Sheikah watchman's attention. The Sheikah turned to him. "Yes Mikau?"

"Why did you lie about Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf to my father?" he said, glaring at him.

"There was no need to tell him about it. It would only worry him more if he knew the truth of the matter," he answered.

Mikau relaxed his expression slightly. "Oh, I see what you mean."

As they walked, they made it to the caravans. But there was something that they found that alarmed them: Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf's caravan was gone.


	55. Chapter 54: Rally Up

**Part IV: The Sorrow**

**Chapter 54: Rally Up**

~~~All of them stood there, gawking at the place where the missing caravan once stood. How did they manage to take the caravan without anyone seeing them?

"It's safe to assume that they once again have their element of surprise," the Sheikah watchman said.

"Do you think they mean to ambush us?" Zelda asked.

The Sheikah looked out into the distance. "Remember what Impa said?"

Zelda gave him a confused look. "What Impa said?"

He nodded. "She told Link that they still needed him. If anything, I don't think that they are quite ready to kill Link, at least not yet. They still need something from him." He looked at Link. "It's probably the Spiritual Stones that they want."

Link pulled back his sleeve on his arm and examined the curse mark. It went past his arms. He had a day left to reach the Master Sword. Everything rested upon what would happen in the day to come. There was nothing stopping him from reaching the Blessed Sword now, but there was everything against him too.

Medi approached Link. "Is it alright?" she asked with concern.

Link looked at her and then pulled down his sleeve. "It's fine. I'll make it," he answered her with a half smile.

King Bulblin approached Link on his boar. "Swordsman, my army is prepared to move,"

Link nodded at him. "Good," He then turned to everyone else. "Okay, everyone, let's go! We don't have much time left!"

The Village Chief sat in his study which was filled with bookshelves lined with books and volumes of books. He sat in a wooden chair at a wooden desk that shined with the gray glow of the sun that shone through the rough clouds. Everyday, he would take time off of his schedule to write. He wasn't writing laws, or reports of any kind; merely, he wrote for the sake of enjoyment. This time, he was writing a poem about the depressed clouds. He found a sort of escapism from the wild rush of the recent events in Hyrule by emptying his held emotions into a poem or journal of some kind.

Suddenly, he was interrupted by a Sheikah opening the door to his study in a very abrupt manner. The Village Chief turned around quickly. "What is it that you would interrupt my writing?" he said in an annoyed tone.

"Excuse me, Village Chief, but there is a message from the King of Hyrule!" he said, sounding as if he had ran the message himself from the Castle.

"What?" the Village Chief said in disbelief. He stood from his chair and walked to the Sheikah.

"The King of Hyrule is requesting that you would set up all able-bodied men in the village to go to war! He said to be prepared to march whenever necessary!"

"Is this truth? Does he really mean to go to war with someone?" the Village Chief asked.

The Sheikah took a sealed letter from a bag he wore and handed it to the Chief. "This letter was written by him with his signature."

The Village Chief took the letter and opened it and then read it. "He really means to go to war with the Ranul," he muttered to himself.

"What are your orders?" the Sheikah asked

"We have no choice but to give him aid then. Inform all Sheikah in the village to prepare to fight!"

"It will be done!" The Sheikah disappeared from sight.

The Village Chief continued to stare at the dire letter for a time. "If all tribes of Hyrule are involved, then this will not end without a heavy price of blood."

A Sheikah from Hyrule Castle approached the cave in Death Mountain that led to the enormous Goron City. The message from the King was apparently so dire that it had to be delivered on the spot to the Goron leader. It would have taken at least a day by horse and foot, but thanks to Hyrule's underground information network, he could deliver a message in a matter of hours, or even minutes to a place that would have taken days to reach by normal means. Once inside the city, he saw many Goron going to and fro throughout the city, buying and selling items, and rebuilding corrupted structures, perhaps from the Goron civil war that happened a few days ago. The city was no longer in the state of turmoil that he last heard it was. He finally made it to the lowest level of the city, where the tribe leader's residence was. He made it to the tunnel, carpeted in a plush red cloth, and followed it to the end. Once there, he found a large Goron, with a muscular frame, sitting on the floor with his legs crossed, eating a brown rock, with much delight.

"Uh, I don't suppose you know where the Goron leader is right, now?" the Sheikah asked, unsure if this improper Goron was the leader or not.

The Goron looked up suddenly and answered, "The leader is away right now, goro. He is helping the one everyone's been calling, 'the Hero', on his journey." He proceeded to take more bites out of his thick rock.

The Sheikah put his hand to his chin. _"That's weird. Why would their leader leave them leaderless?"_ He focused on the feeding Goron again. "Well, who's in charge here then?"

The Goron took the rock from his mouth again and finished chewing. The noise of the Goron masticating a rock was almost enough to make the Sheikah lose strength in his knees. "I am the leader until he get's back, goro! Do you have need of me?"

"Yes I do, this is a message from the King of Hyrule," he started, taking a letter from a bag he possessed. "He asks that your tribe would prepare for a war," he finished, giving the Goron the letter.

The Goron took it with his heavy hands and tore off the seal to read the letter himself. "We have just finished with a war, why must we fight again?" he said, standing to his feet and finishing the last of his rock.

"Hyrule is in danger. If we lose, we would all meet a terrible fate."

"Where was the King when we needed help?" the Goron answered, switching from his dopey expression to a more aggressive one. "Where was he when our tribe lost its leader, huh, goro?"

The Sheikah was getting worried for his own safety. "Believe me; the King would have aided you all, had it not been for the current conflict. We've been dealing with all sorts of tension with the tribe mentioned in the letter ever since they came here. So far, eight people have died at the Castle, due to these people. If we lose to them, the number will be much worse."

The Goron's expression relaxed a bit. "They've been here that long?" he asked.

"Yes. They at first sought to become a tribe of Hyrule, but now, it seems that they wish to oppose the King," the Sheikah replied.

The Goron closed his eyes in thought for a second, and then reopened them. "I will rally up my brothers and we shall wait for the King's call."

The Sheikah nodded. "That's good." He turned away and proceeded out of the room.

The Zora King had been sitting on his throne ever since Mikau and the rest had left. He was in deep though about the safety of his son, and the safety of the Kingdom of Hyrule. He hadn't heard much news from the Castle about what had been going on outside of Northern Hyrule, but judging from what happened with Zora's Domain, and the Hero's rising, something sinister was on its way, and he knew deeply that the toll for stopping it was going to be high.

"Your Grace," one of the nearby Zora guards said, "How long do you plan to be here?"

King Zora looked to the guard. "Oh, I had forgotten about you all. Forgive me of staying here too long," He stood up from his throne. "Let us go from here," Just as he started moving, a Sheikah landed right in front of him. All of the guards in the area posted up, with their lances pointed at the Sheikah.

"Who are you!" the guard leader yelled.

The Sheikah turned to them and waved his hands. "Peace, peace! I am a messenger from the King of Hyrule!"

"What proof do you have?" the Zora guard leader barked.

The Sheikah reached into a bag he had and pulled out a letter. "Here is a letter written and signed by the King himself," he said, handing it to King Zora.

The King looked it over and then twice to clarify what he saw. "This…this is a declaration of…war," he said, almost as if he had lost all life in him.

"Yes, it is. He requests that you ready your soldiers for battle and to be ready at his sign," the Sheikah answered.

The Zora King motioned for one of the guards to come to him. "Help me stand," he said to him. The Zora gave him support. "Tell the King that we will be ready, should he need us," he said.

"I will." With that, the Sheikah leaped up through the open roof of the throne room and out of sight.

King Zora began to cough madly until blood flowed out of his mouth.

"Your Grace, what's wrong?" the Zora asked.

King Zora wiped the blood off his lips. "I have a grave sickness that I believe I will succumb to soon," he said, with pain in his voice.

"Is there some way we can cure it?" he asked.

The Zora King shook his head slowly as he breathed deeply to recover from his coughing fit. "No, I will die soon, and there is no stopping it, but I will not die before I see Hyrule at peace once again," he said, with a regained strength in his voice. "Let every Zora know to prepare for war," he instructed the guard as he stood on his own once again.

The guard nodded slowly and then turned with the other guards to leave the throne room.

The caravan, driven by Link and the Sheikah watchman, along with the whole Bulblin army behind them, rode down the base of the mountain. The terrain was still frozen, but the ice was soft, failing easily to the hooves of the horses and boars. Zora River nearby was dangerously unstable, flowing faster and higher than normal. Any boat or water-ran device would be in danger to function in the river's current conditions. They had to travel along side the river in order to make it to Hyrule Castle, which lied on the riverside on the other side of the river at Castle Town. If they could make it there, it would prove to be a major turning point in the conflict.

"How is that mark doing?" the Sheikah watchman asked.

Link hesitated before he said, "My legs and arms are covered. It's only a matter of time before it covers all of me."

"But that time won't come," the Sheikah watchman pointed his finger out to the distance. "Look."

Link looked out to see what he was signaling to. Far off in the distance, the gray silhouette of Hyrule Castle stood.

"The Castle's in sight. Before sunset, you will have your hands on the Master Sword. Nothing can remove the Goddesses' hands once they have done their will."

Link nodded and smirked confidently. "You know, I never asked your name."

"My name is Iyuga," he said.

Link repeated the name to commit it to his memory.

Rakam sat in the farthest corner of the caravan. Though they were all his new companions, he still felt somewhat distant from them. After all, he and his brothers were the ones who caused them so much heartache up to this point. Darmani was in his curled state on the floor, Zelda leaned against the wall, resting, Medi stared out the back of the caravan, and Mikau looked through the front. He wondered if they were all always like this, or if his presence was the cause for their silence.

"Hey you," Medi suddenly said, still looking out the back.

Rakam sat up. "Are you talking to me?"

She turned to him. "Yes. Something that happened back at the shrine has been bothering me for a while."

Rakam grew worried. No doubt, she disdained at his allegiance with them, but he had no other choice but to see what she wanted. "What is the matter?" he said in a slightly shaky voice.

"Why did you betray your friends like that? Weren't you with them?"

Rakam was slightly relieved. He thought that she was angry that he was with them. Still, now he had to relieve that painful moment. "I-I can't exactly explain what made me do it. It was like…something possessed my soul at that exact moment. And then when I opened my eyes, it happened."

Medi seemed to have an expression of genuine interest. "Something possessed you?"

Rakam nodded. "I also remember a voice. It was like a whisper, but it was there. 'Remember your purpose; fulfill it' is what the voice said."

"What purpose is it talking about?" she asked.

Rakam put his head down and rested his arms on his thighs as he went into thought. "About ten days ago, I and my group along with Uryan and his group were tasked with finding the Chosen Hero. We searched for a couple of days until I found him. When I did, I received a flood of strange visions about the dangers that Link would go through. In some of these images, he seemed to be getting killed. When I saw these things, I resolved to do everything I could to protect him. But little did I know, my tribe leaders, the Patriarchs, had different plans than we all were told.

"Different plans?" she asked.

"They wanted to use the Hero to get the Triforce. They kept that a secret from all of us until I found out by accident one day. They quickly caught on to what I was doing and they exiled me and my brothers from the tribe."

Medi's eyes flashed. "Is that what they were talking about with the mark on your face?" she asked.

Rakam brushed the mark slightly with his hand. "Yes."

Medi adjusted her posture. "So, what made you go against the Hero instead of helping him?"

Rakam looked up at her and grinned slightly. "You know, I've asked myself that question everyday since that night. Deep in my heart, I wanted to fight alongside you all, but something else was taking over me. It was like a strange mix of hatred, fear, and desire at the same time that caused me to take different actions than what I really wanted to take. I guess another reason is my dedication to my brothers. My brothers were my family. They were all I ever knew and after that night, they were all I ever had. I feared leaving them for the unknown."

"You mean you never had a mother or father?" Medi asked him.

"At birth, I was taken from my parents and raised as a sort of spy for my people. The Patriarchs chose a few of the children born in the tribe to serve their purposes directly for the rest of their lives. I happened to be unfortunate enough to be chosen."

"You weren't unfortunate. It's because of you that Link is still alive and that we found out what those three were really up to," Medi reassured him.

Rakam looked at her. He was surprised at how she acted. Though he was their mortal enemy, she still had compassion for him. He smiled lightly. "You're right." He looked to the front of the caravan and saw a view of Link outside. "And now it's time to fulfill my purpose."


	56. Author's Note: The Following Chapters

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Okay! We've made it through 3/4s of the story, and now we are at the final part. From here on out, the chapters will be released one a day, rather than three a day as it has been. The most recently completed chapter is Chapter 63, so once we reach that point, you'll have to wait patiently for the subsequent chapters to appear as I write them.

I thank all of you who have read up to this point and I hope that you will continue to read all the way to the end. Please don't hesitate to post a review about how I'm doing and such. I appreciate every review I get.

And on a side note, I will also be releasing extra content for this story, so please look forward to that. Thank you.

~BEASTMASTERTOAD


	57. Chapter 55: Return

**Chapter 55: Return**

~~~For the first time in what seemed like days, there was a slight break in the clouds. The golden light of the setting sun shot a ray through the opening, representing all of the light that lie beyond the casting shadow of the clouds. Seeing this golden ray filled Link's heart with a strange hope; it made him feel as if everything was going to be alright, no matter what the final challenge would be. The strong stone walls of Castle Town were within sight and they had not much longer to go. Link pushed the horses to ride faster as he smirked at the welcoming sight. The Bulblin army rode hard behind them, just as prepared to face conflict as they were.

"How are we going to deal with the Bulblins once we arrive? I'm sure that the people would have a problem with a bunch of Bulblins walking through town," said Link.

"You're right, we need to gain a grant from the King to bring them in," said Iyuga. He stood up and faced Hyrule Castle.

"Where are you going?" asked Link.

"To inform the King about this." He jumped from the caravan and dashed off into the distance, faster than even the horses rode.

The King stood facing the panoramic windows of the dome-like room. He stared at the glaring red sun that revealed itself through a small slit in the clouds on the horizon.

"An ominous sign, the red sun is," commented the advisor, who sat in a chair nearby, stroking his beard.

The King turned to him. "Let's just pray that it isn't a sign of war."

Along with the King and the sitting advisor, the General, the Chief of Sheikah, and Viscen and the other eleven Knights of Hyrule sat or stood in the dome-like room.

"Chief of Sheikah," started the King, "Has my message been passed to all the tribes of Hyrule?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," said the Chief. "The signal beacons are also prepared to be ignited in the event of war."

"And General, how do you report?" the King asked.

"I have tightened the patrols and sentries in Castle Town. The gates are all closed and are heavily monitored. The curfew you set for sundown is also in affect and is being enforced for the citizens."

"And for the Castle?"

"I have set sentries on the watchtowers of the Castle walls and the walls themselves are being monitored. The number of soldiers in the courtyards number by the hundreds. The Castle itself is also guarded by many. It would be a work of sorcery if anything went undetected."

"Judging by these current happenings, I'd say that we are dealing with sorcery," said the advisor.

"Speaking of that," said the King, "Are your men also set up around the Castle?" he said to the Chief of Sheikah.

"Yes, all of my available men are watching from unseen positions throughout," he answered.

"Your Majesty," began the advisor, "Aren't you concerned that this exercise of force would alarm the Supreme Patriarch to action?"

The King raised an eyebrow. "You do have a point, which is why I have a reason behind it."

"A reason?"

"Yes. With all of these murders in the Castle, there wouldn't be any wonder why I would want to increase the security around the Castle to ensure that no other deaths occur."

The advisor smiled lightly, nodding his head.

"Well," the King began as he stood, "If there is nothing else to report then this meeting is finished." He started for the door when suddenly a Sheikah appeared before them all. The Chief of Sheikah stood abruptly. "Sheikah, what is the meaning of your intrusion?" he yelled sternly.

The Sheikah stood up straight. "I have returned with a report about the Hero. It's imperative that you hear it."

The Chief's eyes widened slightly and then narrowed. "Iyuga, why aren't you with the Hero?"

The King turned around and faced Iyuga the Sheikah. "Let us hear of your report."

"The Hero has completed his task of collecting the Spiritual Stones and is at the outskirts of Castle Town. He rides with an army of Bulblins that have pledged their loyalty to him and wish to aid him."

"He travels with Bulblins?" the General yelled, "How has this come to be?"

"The leader of the Bulblins came to recognize the Hero as a powerful foe and decided to side with him. And it is because of this unusual alliance that I have come to seek permission to allow them through with the Hero."

"Iyuga," began the Chief of Sheikah, "I noticed that your face covering is removed, has your presence been revealed to them?"

"Yes, only after being called out by the Hero's employers who were already on to me."

"Under what circumstance did this happen?" pressed the Chief.

"The Hero's employers betrayed him and the rest of his group, saying that their true intention is to gain the Triforce for their masters, the Patriarchs."

"The Patriarchs!" hissed the advisor with great disdain.

"Sheikah," said the King, "Are you sure that they are under the Patriarchs?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." he answered.

The King peered out the window once again. The red beam of light that once pierced through the clouds was gone and the burnt orange hues of the clouds to the west were all that remained to be seen. "This confirms that they work against the Kingdom then."

"Your Majesty, does the Hero with his band of Bulblins have permission to enter through the gates?"

"Yes, he and his group are given my permission."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Iyuga said, and then he disappeared in a flash.

The King turned to the General. "Sir General, have the patrols of Castle Town escort them to the Castle and make sure that no Bulblin acts out of line."

The General stood. "It will be done, Your Majesty."

The King opened the door of the room and walked out of it.

Link stopped the caravan a short distance away from the eastern gate of Castle Town. Just six days earlier, he was at the southern gate, preparing to leave with his comrades, both current and former. He could not have imagined all of the things he would encounter, all of the dangers he would face, all the people he would meet, and all the revelations he would learn, that morning when he left his home. Now he had the same feeling he had before he left Castle Town: the feeling of apprehension. Before, what apprehended him was the fear of going out into what he didn't know, not knowing what was going to happen to him. Now, what apprehended him was the fear of what could happen in these final hours of his duty. The fear was overwhelming to him.

Suddenly, Link felt his heart pulsate. The beating of his heart grew worse as he clutched it in an attempt to ease the pain. After a moment, the feeling subsided. He knew what had happened: the curse mark grew even more. He pulled the collar of his shirt down to see where it was. It had already reached his neck. He had less than a day remaining to him. The Master Sword was within sight of him now. He could see the high-rising steeple of the Temple of Time now, but even as he gazed upon it, there seemed to be a strange gulf of incredible distance between him and the sacred structure that made his goal seem impossible to attain even at this stage of his journey.

"Swordsman!"

Link jumped at the voice and looked around to see King Bulblin near him on his boar.

"Swordsman, how long must we wait out here?"

"We have to wait for our authorization from the King to pass through. You will know when it is time," Link answered.

King Bulblin nodded and then turned his boar to go back to his army. Suddenly, Iyuga landed next to Link. "The King has given us his permission to pass through. Go ahead."

Link prompted the horses of the caravan to move on and they did. They slowly approached the entrance and were met by a troop of guards all armed with lances, standard equipment for town guards. "The King has informed us to escort you to the Castle. If you would please follow us, then we will go there," on of the guards said.

Link looked at Iyuga. "What about the Master Sword?"

"You still have plenty of time left. Let's do as the King wishes of us first and then we will go," Iyuga advised Link.

Link nodded and then looked at the guard. "Thank you. We will follow."

The guards all formed around the caravan and started their way. More guards came as they went through the strangely quiet town, forming around the Bulblin army. As Link looked around the dark town, he became slightly disturbed. Not a person was in sight on the streets. However, most of the windows of the buildings they passed were lighted, with the occasional person looking at them from out of their window.

"Iyuga," Link said, "Why are all the people in their homes and not out as usual?"

"I don't fully understand, bur I heard talk that the King issued a curfew on the Town. I believe that this is linked to some kind of preparation for war."

"War?" Link asked in an astounded voice.

"I don't know if it is true yet, but that seems to be the case," the Sheikah said solemnly.

Link looked above the rooftops at the Temple of time, which seemed to glow dimly in the dying sunlight. "If at all possible, let's hope it doesn't come to that."

They exited the northern gate of Castle Town and began over the grand bridge that connected Castle Town with Hyrule Castle. Below the bridge was Zora River, flowing rapidly since the recent thawing of the once frozen land of Northern Hyrule. Suddenly, a bright flash ignited the sky briefly, followed by the rending sound of thunder that boomed violently through the ears of those that heard it.

"Another storms on its way," Link noted.

"It's not surprising really," said Iyuga.

"Why isn't it?" questioned Link.

"Since the rapid cooling and heating that took place in Northern Hyrule, there is no doubt that Hyrule's climate has become unstable for a time. There will be flood of violent storms on the way for the next few days, maybe weeks."

Ahead of them, the giant gates of Hyrule Castle began slowly opening, with all of the gears that were opening it making loud, grinding noises as they pulled open. Link looked up the grand stature of Hyrule Castle. He had forgotten how the Castle made even the mightiest man feel as if nothing when in the face of such handiwork. It had been seven days since his last visit to this place, the day he first met Zelda. The meeting they had changed their lives forever. As they passed through the open gates, they came into the first courtyard of the grand Castle Yard. The large statue of the Triforce stood tall among other things in the courtyard, giving slight hope and fear to Link at the same time. The brigade of guards led them not to the main body of the Castle, but it turned to the west end of the Castle instead. If Link's memory of his days in the Castle Guard served him right, they were going the Battle Yard, the place where the soldiers of Hyrule resided in wartime.

Once they passed through another gate, they finally made it there. The yard wasn't as beautifully decorated as the other yards, but it had rows of trees even still that lined most of the walkways. The yard was filled with soldiers and guards of all types. Horses were also plentiful as well as vast collections of weapons of all kinds. Artillery units were also present. It seemed as if the King was truly prepared for war. This was only the Battle Yard. On the outer walls of the Castle, most of the main war machines would be present.

The guards that led them signaled Link to a stop. Once he stopped, they approached him. "We must require that you all exit the caravan so that we can put it up along with your horses."

Link opened the caravan door and told them all to come out. All of them got off. Two of the guards got on and rode it away. Link approached one of the guards. "What will you do with the Bulblin army?"

"They will stay here in the courtyard with us until further orders are given."

"Swordsman," King Bulblin called out to him, "What shall my warriors and I do?"

"They want you all to stay here in the courtyard until the King gives further notice."

King Bulblin nodded and rode back to his army.

"Link," said Zelda, "Do you have any idea what they're doing?"

"According to our Sheikah watchman, these soldiers are preparing for war."

Zelda let out a small gasp. "War?"

"That was my first thought too. I have no idea what has happened here since we left, but we will soon find out."

A group of guards approached them. "Please follow us. The King wishes to have an audience with all of you."

The flashes and explosions of lightning and thunder came quicker and quicker with each passing moment. The light of the sun was no more as the only source of light from the sky became the flashes of thunder and the ominous moon that managed to shine through the clouds. Link and the rest followed the guards up the great climb of steps to the Throne Room, located near the top of the Castle. Usually, it provided those who had the privilege of being there the pleasure of a spectacular sight of Southern Hyrule from within the Throne Room. Once they made it to the top of the staircase, they saw the large and regal Throne Room. A blue carpet lined with gold led straight to the throne of the King. The famed twelve Knights of Hyrule stood along the carpet, facing each other from opposite sides. A loud horn sounded as they approached. Every guard and Knight in the room simultaneously slammed hilts of their lances to the ground.

"Now presenting the Chosen Hero of Hyrule!" yelled a guard that stood just at the entrance of the Throne Room. The King stood from his throne to greet them as they continued down the carpet. Link searched the faces of the Knights until he saw Viscen. He gave a quick smirk to him, of which Viscen returned. They stopped at the steps of the throne.

"Chosen Hero of Hyrule, it is truly an honor meeting you for the first time," the King said, as he bowed to him in reverence. All of the Knights and guards in the room followed the King, bowing to Link. Never once in his life did he expect anyone to bow before him, especially one such as the King. A series of flashes, followed by fissures of thunder punctuated the unbelievable moment. The King rose to his feet along with everyone else. "It is also just as much of an honor to meet all of you who helped him in his quest, especially my daughter," he said.

"Father," started Zelda, "Is it true that you are making battle preparations?"

The King's eyes became firm. "Zelda, there is much that has transpired here that you know nothing of," he said.

"Does this have something to do with the Patriarchs?" she asked.

"W-well, yes, how did you know?"

"We learned of this when the three men in question that I was investigating betrayed us."

"Oh, that's right. Iyuga mentioned that to me earlier. Yes, these Patriarchs have caused many murders in the Castle so far, and we are taking precautions to ensure that no more happen."

"Hey, there is an audience happening right now, you can't come in here!"

They all turned to the entrance of the room. The Supreme Patriarch advanced up to the top of the steps, despite the pleas of a following guard that held on to his arm.

"Supreme Patriarch, we are in the middle of an audience!" shouted the General furiously. "Return at once to your quarters!"

The Supreme Patriarch ignored the General's order, continuing down the carpeted path. "Please, sir, you can't –!" The guard's sentence was cut short as the Supreme Patriarch abruptly stopped halfway from the throne's steps.

"Supreme Patriarch, what is the meaning of this?" asked the King.

"When I heard that the Chosen Hero would be returning I couldn't help but to see him myself!" the Supreme Patriarch said in a strangely ecstatic voice.

"Wait. Who informed you about the Hero's return?" asked the King in suspicion.

"You know, I've haven't been feeling welcome here lately," the Supreme Patriarch suddenly noted. "It seems as if everyone's thinks that our tribe is guilty of something."

"No one ever said –!"

"That's because this whole conflict is all your doing!" Rakam suddenly yelled, interrupting the King.

The Supreme Patriarch was silent for a moment before he said, "So it is true."

"What is?" asked Rakam.

"You did betray your brothers for the Hero. First you betray your tribe, and then you betray your brothers, what next? Will you also betray the Hero?" he said in a slightly mocking voice.

Rakam formed a blade. "I'll cut your deceiving throat out!"

"Enough of this!" yelled the King. "You all are out of order! What are these accusations about, Supreme Patriarch?"

"This man was exiled from our tribe after we founded him of treason."

"Don't listen to him! He means to take the Triforce for himself!"

"The words of a traitor are tainted. You can't find truth in them!"

"You can't lie about this anymore! Your three Retarcs, Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf, have already told us all about you and your ultimate goal!"

Suddenly, lightning struck just outside of the Throne Room, creating an explosion of force and sound that caused all but Rakam and the Supreme Patriarch to lose balance. Following the lightning was a dreadful and disturbing sound that rang throughout the Throne Room. It sounded similar to the sound of the Silhouette monsters, but it had a more human quality to it. The sound seemingly had no point of origin. It was everywhere and there was no escape from it. All of a sudden, it ceased. The noise was no more. Outside of the Throne room, the moon's light began increasing, becoming almost as bright as the sun on a cloudy day. The wind blew harder than before also as this happened.

"King Hyrule, my games of chess with you are done. The game had grown petty and tiresome and now I wish for the real thing," the Supreme Patriarch ominously stated.

"You can't be serious," the King said in disbelief of what was happening.

In the sky, hundreds of figures came into view. They seemed to be in flight, descending upon Hyrule Castle.

"The age of the Hylians have come to an end. The Goddesses no longer respect you as their children," said the Patriarch. The groove in his mask began to shine an ominous blue light from them, and his robe's designs also illuminated.

"What…are you?" the King said, drawing his silver blade.

"Tonight, old Hyrule will die and a new, stronger Kingdom will rise!" yelled the Patriarch.

The sky began to fill itself with the figures that began their descent on the Castle.

"Knights!" shouted the General, "To arms!"

The General along with the Knights and the guards ran out from the Throne Room to prepare for the war that was coming down on them. Viscen however stayed behind.

"Link!" said Iyuga, "I and the rest will follow the Knights to fight!"

Link nodded as Iyuga and the rest of the group exited the Throne Room to fight. Rakam did not follow.

"Rakam," said Link, "Leave him to us, we can do it."

"No, I want to kill him myself!" he protested.

"Please Rakam; they need your power in the fight outside. If you stay here, then we'll be wasting man power," Link said.

Rakam grimaced for a moment before he said, "I trust that he will go down to your blade then." With those words, Rakam vanished from sight.

The King stepped to the bottom of the staircase leading to his throne, with his sword drawn and ready.


	58. Chapter 56: Moonlight

**Chapter 56: Moonlight**

~~~Mido approached the gargantuan tree in the midst of the moonlighted field with curious care. The whole Kokiri Village was awake to see the unusual sight of the night being as day. In their many years of existence, they had never seen a night like this one. The light that the moon gave was an amber color and made the very air seem permeated with iniquity. Mido stopped just a short distance away from the Great Deku Tree and called out to him in a small voice, almost a whisper. The loud crackling of the Deku Tree boomed through the meadow as it awakened from its slumber.

"Hrmmm… What troubles thee, Mido?" it said.

"Great Deku Tree, why is the moon so bright? It's almost like it is day time!" Mido exclaimed.

The grandfatherly eyebrows of the Deku Tree furrowed for a moment as it hummed in a low pitch in thought. "I see… There is trouble beyond this forest."

"Could it have something to do with what happened here a few days ago?" Mido questioned.

"Yea, my child, but it is much worse than that. All the powers of evil have risen against the land and wish to seize it for themselves," the Great Deku Tree gravely noted.

"What should we do then?" Mido asked, looking up to the ominous moon.

"Tell ever child to stay within their homes. Before long, the same evil without the forest will be within it. Go now," the Great Deku Tree said before it once again fell silent.

"Oh no," Mido said to himself, "If the evil is coming here, then we might be in danger!" He promptly ran off back to the village. Once there, he saw all of the Kokiri children standing together outside of their homes, chattering about the abnormal moon.

"Hey, Mido! What's –?"

"That's fearless leader Mido to you!" Mido interjected in a self-serving manner.

The Kokiri who was speaking rolled his eyes in a dismissing manner. "'Fearless leader Mido', what's happening to the moon?"

"I don't really understand, but the Great Deku Tree said that a great evil was outside the forest, and that's why the moon is like that."

"Then what do we do?" another Kokiri asked, clearly scared of the proposition of danger.

"He told us to go back to our homes and stay there because the evil was going to come to the forest!"

The Kokiri started speaking amongst each other about what was going to happen, expressing their worries. "What's going to happen to us if it's coming here?" a Kokiri child said.

"Don't worry about it," said a blonde Kokiri, Fado.

The group quieted down as they looked at him. "Why shouldn't we worry? We're in danger."

"Just don't worry about it. The man that saved our forest a few days ago, he's fighting out there to save us all," he said with confidence.

Mido stared in awe at Fado's calmness. "A-alright, you all heard him, there's nothing to worry about! Let's go!" Mido signaled, as he, along with the other children dispersed to their homes.

Link, Zelda, and Viscen stood aside as the King and the Supreme Patriarch faced each other. While the Supreme Patriarch stood without a weapon, the King held his great silver blade.

"Supreme Patriarch, I really wished that our relationship wouldn't come to this," the King said.

"This 'relationship' that you recall never existed. My knife was to your back this whole time and not even your prized dogs, the Sheikah, could see through the façade." Lightning and thunder capitalized his words.

"So, from the beginning, you had no intention to join us?" the King said.

"Yes, and I'm sorely surprised that you didn't see the signs," he said, sounding slightly disappointed.

"What do you mean by signs?"

"Look at your dead advisors. One by one, they dropped like snowflakes. The first one was killed by dream manipulation."

"Dream manipulation?" the King asked, confused.

"Yes. One of my men paid him a little visit in the still of the night and gave him such a terror in his sleep that he scared himself to death, literally."

"You monster," uttered the King, clearly disgusted.

"Oh, and Viscen," the Supreme Patriarch said, while still facing the King. "The second advisor was being controlled mentally by us. The plan actually was to take out the General that night, but your interference caused a ripple in the plan. But it was my foresight that made all of the evidence disappear so it couldn't be used," he explained.

"But why would you want to kill the General?" Viscen asked.

"Don't rush, I'll get to it. The third advisor was a different story altogether though," he said as a clap of thunder vibrated through the Throne Room.

"What do you mean?" the King asked.

"To much surprise, he made a pact with us."

"What? A pact?" the King said in outrage.

The Supreme Patriarch chuckled impishly behind his cold mask. "Yes. He said that he knew what we were up to and he wanted to serve our purposes he wanted to gain power when we took over."

'It was for power…'

Chills shook Viscen's spine as he remembered the advisor's bloody words.

"You seem disturbed, Viscen. Are you just now putting it together?" the Patriarch said with his touch of scorn.

"That advisor betrayed us?" Viscen said to confirm.

"Exactly. But his powers were given to him by us. However, once we gave him the power, he started to become mentally distressed, paranoid," The Supreme Patriarch turned to Viscen suddenly. "And do you know why he was after you?"

Viscen did not give him an answer.

"After the death of the second advisor, I knew that you would serve as an impediment, and so I told the fool that you planned to kill him when you got the chance, which sent him over the edge of sanity. The rest is history, as you know."

"In the end, you manipulated him for your own means," Viscen said.

"Correct. And do you understand why these people were killed?" the Patriarch asked. "The answer is obvious. As more people die in Hyrule's government, Hyrule itself becomes more unstable. This fact was evident with the dissention of your late third advisor."

The King put his sword in front of him and prepared himself to fight. "These atrocities will end tonight!"

The Supreme Patriarch held his hands out from him and produced a sword in each hand. The swords were similar in their make-up to the one used by Rakam. He took a battle stance, raising one sword above him and the other out in front. "Let's see if you're up to that heavy claim!"

The King and the Supreme Patriarch charged at each other, holding their swords in distinct manners. The King brought his sword down at the Supreme Patriarch as the Supreme Patriarch slashed at the King with his swords tracing an X. A bright flash of lightning enhanced the sparks created from the clashing of the two swordsmen. The two broke away from each other and stood just outside of each other's kill zones. The Patriarch jumped into the air and came down on the King. The King swung his sword at him but before the strike landed, the Supreme Patriarch vanished and then suddenly reappeared in front of the King. They were face to face.

"You missed," the Patriarch said plainly.

The King brought up his knee to hit him, but the Patriarch leaped away from him. The King lunged forward at the Patriarch and tried to stab him but he was blocked by the edge of one of the Patriarch's swords. The Patriarch thrust his other sword at the King and grazed his side, cutting straight through his armor. The King pulled back quickly and put his free hand over the cut.

"You're growing careless, Former King Hyrule."

The Chief of Sheikah ran up a spiraling staircase, trying to reach the top of the tower. He was fortunate enough to reach the tower before the battle commenced. It would have been a more arduous task if he was caught up in the fighting. He made it to the top and saw a few Sheikah already present. They were standing around a large unlit torch. One of the Sheikah approached him and asked, "What would you have us do, master?"

"Light the torch now! We need to inform the other tribes as fast as we can!' the Chief of Sheikah commanded.

One of the Sheikah grabbed a smaller unlit torch and lit it on a nearby flame and then passed the fire to the giant torch. It almost immediately burst into flames, sending a high-reaching flame into the air.

"All of you stay here and guard the signal flame. Don't let anything extinguish it!" the Chief of Sheikah said as he descended the tower once again.

From afar, the Sheikahs could see other flames appear off into the distance.

"There's the relay," noted a Sheikah.

"I see it," began another, "Let's just hope they arrive before long."

Like ash from Death Mountain, the mysterious legion descended swiftly upon the Castle. Of all the experiences of battle the General had, there was nothing so unknown or terrifying as what was above he and his command. Even in the strange light of the moon that illuminated everything with a chilling golden light couldn't reveal what it was that was coming. Like thunder, a deep booming sound ripped the air as they landed. The General staked one of them with a lance, felling him before the fight even began. Upon a closer look, he saw that they weren't some insidious creature summoned with an arcane skill in magic, but they were the same kind of people who were standing guard with the Patriarchs. The General yanked his lance from the dead man's body. As the body hit the ground, everyone on the Castle instantly engaged one another, making a noisome roar that signified the beginning of an onerous battle. As the General looked up to the fight around him, another one of the cloaked warriors struck at him with his iron claws. The General managed to avoid injury, suffering only a scratch on his armor. He quickly retaliated by swinging his lance at his foe. The lance hit his neck, killing the warrior immediately.

The General continued on. He decided to himself that he would go to the Northern Tower to find the rest of the Patriarchs. Like every good commander, he knew that the best way to weaken the opposition was to destroy their chain of command. The Supreme Patriarch had already shown himself to the King and he had confidence that the Supreme Patriarch would be beaten there. The problem now was that the other nine Patriarchs were unaccounted for. He had to track them down and cut off their ability to command before too long. Lightning flashed in quick succession as did its booms of thunder.

Iyuga and Medi were on the Western Tower Bridge when the fight began. They had all agreed to defend designated points on the Castle from these opposing forces. The Western Tower was a tower shared both by the Knights and the Sheikah. All business dealing with information about every known happening and event in Hyrule was done at that tower, and that was why it was imperative that they kept the tower safe. Every secret that Hyrule had was contained in that building and it would be a catastrophe if that information was released.

Iyuga flicked his wrist and a chain shot out of his sleeve. The chain was thin and long and each link was sharpened to form an edge, making it into a deadly weapon. A group of the enigmatic robed men charged at Iyuga, attempting to break through him and onto the bridge. Before they got close enough to him, he lashed his chain out at them, beheading the one nearest to him. The rest of them continued forward, unfazed at the sudden death of their comrade. All of them collectively attacked with their iron claws. Iyuga brandished his chain in an expert manner, repelling the attackers. Suddenly, one of them appeared behind him and slashed at Iyuga, but he performed a well-timed back flip, evading the attack and landing behind his new opponent. He grabbed him by the neck and slit open his throat with a concealed knife hidden within his sleeve, felling him. The rest of the cloaked warriors kept their distance, but they all clasped their hands together and began forming light within their hands. Iyuga recognized the attack from the fight at Lord Jabu-Jabu's shrine. They were going to attack him from a distance. Iyuga immediately dashed forward at them to close the gap before they prepared their attack. All of them fired energy spheres at him before he made it. In a last ditch effort, he dove forward into the barrage. He found a very small hole in the salvo and took advantage of it, just barely slipping through. He could see the surprise and fear on each of their masked faces with his Sheikah eyes. It made him smirk as he twirled around his chain, slaughtering all of them. Just as soon as he felled his foes, a new troop arrived to challenge him.

Medi thrust her Kodachi into her foe and killed him. She promptly kicked the body away from her and into the rest of her enemies, causing some to stumble. She charged into them and then jumped above their heads, kicking one of them as she went. She had no idea about what exactly was within Hyrule Castle, because she had never been anywhere but Kakariko Village all her life, so she could not understand why they fought so hard to get into the tower she was defending. What mattered at the moment though was that she was charged with this task and she would fulfill it without fail. As soon as she landed behind them, she swung her Kodachi into another cloaked man, stabbing his face. He screamed in a terrifying tone before he fell to the ground.

_"Are they even human?"_

Before she could draw back, another one slashed at her, cutting her arm. She retreated away from them, but they kept pursuing her, not giving her any time to recover. She continued to defend herself blocking every attempt at her life they made. Suddenly, all of them stopped advancing to her. Their heads all fell off of them to the ground and their bodies soon followed. Behind them was a Sheikah with a very long sword. "Be careful. They're aggressive," he said before he went off to another fight.

Medi took a small vial of red liquid from one of her pouches and she splashed a bit of it on her bleeding wound. The bleeding ceased and the blood on the wound coagulated. She looked up to the main body of the Castle and witnessed the frightening sight of the hundreds of figures that descended from the sky, warring viciously with all of the soldiers of Hyrule. The number of the enemy seemed endless. She felt a freezing gale blow through her hair as lightning crashed in the sky.


	59. Chapter 57: Usurper

**Chapter 57: Usurper**

~~~The strange amber light that shone from the moon revealed the battle-ready forms that treaded through the open fields of Hyrule. Numbering a little over one hundred, the band of Sheikahs marched with readiness, heading to Hyrule Castle. As they looked upon it from a distance, they saw what seemed to be a strange veil of darkness that engulfed the Castle. The Village Chief led them on to the Castle. When he saw the sky suddenly light up, he knew that the predicted struggle had already started. He needed no signal to realize that. Even if it hadn't started, it would be better to be early than too late.

"Village Chief," called out one of the Sheikah. He turned to him and saw that he was pointing at something. As he traced the path of the Sheikah's finger, he saw Hyrule Castle's signal fire rising high.

"So it has begun."

He turned to his men. "Listen to me! We must quicken our pace! Hyrule Castle is under siege!" he said to them and then he waved his arm forward as he broke into a great stride. The rest of his band followed his pace into the strange night.

The King held his silver blade with both hands and came to stance again. He knew that the Supreme Patriarch possessed skill far beyond his own, but he had to break through that barrier if he wanted his kingdom to see another sunrise.

"I can tell that you probably have witnessed the gap between me and you, and yet you continue to fight. Your unyielding will is an admirable trait, yet it will not win you this fight," the Supreme Patriarch said.

"There may be a difference between your sword and mine, but I have the Goddesses with me."

The Patriarch chuckled. "Did you forget what I said? Your people and you have fallen from the Goddesses' grace. Their will is with me now."

"I refuse to believe your lie," the King said indignantly.

"Denying truth doesn't make it disappear," Suddenly the Supreme Patriarch was upon the King and he brought down his sword on him. The King blocked it with his sword quickly. The Supreme Patriarch swung his other sword at the King's torso. In a daring move, the King managed to block the other sword with the gauntlet of his free arm. The King used the opportunity and kicked the Patriarch away from him, causing the Patriarch to slump slightly in pain. The King performed a horizontal slice but the Supreme Patriarch managed to avoid the deadliest part of the attack, suffering a scratch to his robe. The King backed away quickly and stood just far enough from him. A bolt of lightning shot through the air, making a frightening hiss.

"You have more fight in you than I expected, King Hyrule," the Supreme Patriarch said.

"What are you --?" Before the King could finish is sentence, the Supreme Patriarch leaped straight at him, twirling through the air with his swords pointed ahead of him. The King jumped up to avoid him, but the Patriarch spun his blades around himself instead of in front of him. The King swung his sword down at him, but the worst had happened to him instead. The Supreme Patriarch cut off the King's left arm. The King managed to slice the Patriarch's back, but the wound was only superficial. The Supreme Patriarch ceased his attack and stood still, not turning to see the King. The King fell to the ground and yelled in extreme agony as he attempted to find some way to ease the pain from his halved arm.

"Father!" Zelda yelled as he ran quickly to his side.

The King sat up and put out his other hand. "No, Zelda! Stay away!" he commanded her.

She stopped herself, but continued to look on, wanting to disobey him.

"Clearly you can see now that you have lost. Don't fight your fate any longer," the Supreme Patriarch said to the King.

The King stood to his feet as he grunted from the pain of his lost limb. He picked up his sword and held it out from him, in battle stance. "Don't get ahead of yourself. One arm isn't enough to stop me."

"Then I will make it two arms then."

"No you won't!" Suddenly, Link appeared before the Patriarch and unleashed a powerful swing. The Patriarch quickly reacted, barely blocking the streaming sword. The force of attack, however, threw the Supreme Patriarch off his feet, sending him flying. The Patriarch slowed himself down with the aid of a strange unseen force, and then came to a stop on his feet. Link swiftly closed the distance between him and the Patriarch and swung his sword vertically at him. The Patriarch jumped back from the attack. Link's sword slammed into the floor at the end of the swing, causing a sudden flare of brilliant light to expand. The Patriarch was tossed from where he stood once again, falling to the ground. He suddenly returned to his feet and a blue and black aura engulfed him.

"That is quite enough, Hero," the Patriarch said in a very demented rumbling voice. This aura expanded, throwing Link back. Link fell near Zelda and the King. "This fight is between me and your King. You will not interfere," Zelda and Link were suddenly thrown again from where they were, landing at the entrance to the Throne Room. A loud burst of thunder sounded. "King Hyrule," the Supreme Patriarch said in an aggressive tone, "Face me." The aura around the Patriarch was large and foreboding.

The King looked back to Zelda. "My daughter," he said with a hint of tears in his eyes, "Become as strong of a Queen as your mother was."

Zelda's tired eyes widened. "Father…what are you saying?"

The King charged to the Supreme Patriarch. He jumped at him and spun around his sword furiously. The King's sword connected with one Patriarch's blades and forced itself right through it. The Patriarch ducked from the oncoming blade and struck the King in the chest with his other sword. The King yelped briefly at the death blow, dropping his sword to the ground.

"Father!" Zelda yelled as tears dropped from her eyes. She tried to run to him, but Link held her back.

The Patriarch yanked his sword out of the King's chest in a sudden motion. The King fell to the ground as the blood from his body spewed out. Hyrule's mighty King was dead. "Heh… So much for your divine protection, King Hyrule," the Supreme Patriarch scornfully commented at the lifeless King.

"You monster!" Link yelled as he charged after the Supreme Patriarch.

"Link, wait!" Viscen suddenly interrupted. He held out his hand, signaling him to stop. "You need to go fulfill your duty as Hero. Leave him to me," he said.

"No, Viscen! This dastard killed our King! I can't leave you alone with him!"

"But you will. The King died to give you a chance to run. Don't nullify his actions for revenge." Viscen said as he pointed his lance at the Supreme Patriarch. "Besides, I know how he works best."

Link stood there for a moment, looking at Viscen, unsure if he should go or stay. Viscen looked to Link and gave him a nod with a smirk. Link blinked in surprise and then returned the act.

"Now, don't let me down, Hero," Viscen said in a voice of finality.

Link and Zelda fled the Throne Room.

"Your act of charity is wasted. They too will die," the Supreme Patriarch said.

"I've waited too long for the opportunity to thrust my lance into your heart," said Viscen. Lightning littered the clouds with white-hot light.

"Your time for that will never come," the Patriarch said, as he began advancing toward Viscen. The sword that was previously broken by the King suddenly regenerated itself in full form.

The General had killed many foes on his way to the Northern Tower Bridge. Each group he encountered seemed to be stronger than the last. He noticed that they seemed to possess strange powers. Some of them created projectiles from light; others formed weapons with a similar light. Just as the advisor thought, they were dealing with sorcery. Finally, the General stepped foot on the bridge. Something about it was strange, however. No one was posted on the bridge and no one fought on it. The sight was haunting, especially compared to the terrible strife that was just behind him. He raised his lance and cautiously proceeded forward. An eerie quiet deafened his ears as he continued to step closer and closer to the lonely tower. Before long, it was so quiet that he could hear his heartbeat, his breathing, and his footsteps. He suddenly glanced back to see if the war was still happening. He still saw the two armies battling heatedly, but he couldn't hear the battle ambience. He stopped walking and scanned the immediate area around him. Out in the distance, he could see branches of lightning touching the ground in rapid fashion. The golden haze created by the moon made everything seem like a strange dream sequence that he was living. He abruptly shook his head to regain his awareness. Suddenly, a loud and frightening screech echoed through the still air. The General looked to the direction of the sound and saw the source. A large dragon-like creature was flying in his direction. The General took stance, holding his lance with both hands parallel to the ground.

_"What is that?"_

As the drake flew closer, he noticed a man was on its back. He was wearing a black robe with a mask and was holding an ethereal lance. He recognized just who it was: one of the nine Patriarchs.

There once was a time when the light of the moon unleashed deeply held powers locked within him. Since he was exiled, however, Rakam was no longer able to enjoy the full effects of such a phenomenon. His markings glowed blue, but it did not enable him the true power that was a deep-held secret of the Ranul. His sword was longer and stronger than it normally was, giving him an extra edge in the fight. But against his own kind, there were many who were stronger still. Such was evident with his current opponent: one of the Patriarchs. The Patriarch wielded a great sword; its width half the width of his body and the length three fourths of his height. Rakam found him as he fought around the main walkway on the Castle.

"Rakam is it?" the enigmatic man asked as he walked closer to him.

Rakam materialized his sword and took his fighting stance, facing the Patriarch from his side instead of head on. "It is me, you swine."

The Patriarch continued to approach as the wind began to pick up along with the frequency of the lightning strikes. "Although I hate to be wrong, it seems that I was mistaken when I suggested to the Supreme Patriarch that we'd kill you and your brothers that night. Your involvement with the 'Hero' has opened a few doors for us to succeed in our plan."

Rakam frowned. "I'm well aware that you and the rest have used me and my brothers despite our decision to free will."

The Patriarch stopped walking. "I must say that I am surprised at your actions towards your brothers. I heard that you actually killed one of them --!"

"I had to!" Rakam interrupted. "He…gave me no other choice."

Thunder roared as the Patriarch continued his walk once again. "First us, then your brothers… Through and through, you're a traitor."

Rakam yelled in wrath as he darted suddenly at the Patriarch. He moved his sword in a lightning-fast motion to hit the Patriarch, but the Patriarch blocked the blow with his great sword. Rakam broke away from the block and launched another attack, thrusting at the Patriarch's head, but the Patriarch moved his head slightly to the side, dodging it. The Patriarch then swung his blade at Rakam and smacked him back with the flat side of his sword. Rakam landed on his feet and slid back slightly upon landing. He coughed briefly as he caught his breath once again.

"I bet you long to feel the full power of the moon as you once did, don't you?" the Patriarch said, looking up to the bright amber moon.

"For a while, I did regret that I no longer had that benefit, but now I no longer feel that regret. The hate, anger, and fear that I used to feel…I realized that I created these emotions because to escape my true purpose, which was to serve the Hero. After being exiled, I was discouraged by how much I was risking by helping the Hero."

"So, what made you decided to help him?" the Patriarch asked.

"Somehow, I heard a woman's voice tell me that my true purpose was with the Hero, and I suddenly…just woke up."

"Is that so?" the Patriarch said sarcastically, "Then allow me to wake you up to true power." He reached for his iron mask and pulled it from his face. Rakam slightly gasped as he saw him do it. No man of the Ranul would ever reveal himself outside of his tribe, not even on the battlefield.

"ATTACK!!!"

With the bark of this word, the courtyards were instantly filled with war. Every Bulblin and Hylian soldier confronted the mysterious enemy. King Bulblin rode through the courtyard on his mount downing every enemy he passed. On the inside, he was laughing heartily at the situation. This battle was the very first battle in which the Hylians and the Bulblins fought together. Years and years of flowing blood had created a hateful gulf between the two tribes. The Bulblins were always fighting for their own gain, regardless of who they hurt or killed. The Hylians loathed his kind for that very reason, but now they were able to cast aside old feuds to battle a common enemy for mutual gain. It was too much for him not to find it humorous.

He continued his warpath in the Battle Yard taking out each of them with little trouble. For all of the build-up behind this battle, he couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed that the opposing army was not putting up much of a fight. As he rode, one of them suddenly jumped at him and bore his iron claws at him. The surprise attack caught him off-guard and he was knocked off his boar and hit the ground rolling. He hurried to his feet and looked around to assess his situation. He was surrounded by six of the robed fighters.

"Cowards," King Bulblin said under his breath as he heaved his sword up to fight. One of them swung his claws vertically and caused a blur through the air that moved at King Bulblin. It connected with him and pushed him back to the ground again, leaving scratches on his armor. Another one jumped on him and plunged his claws at his face. King Bulblin turned over quickly, crushing the foe with his weight before he finished his attack. King Bulblin pushed himself up to his feet again and drove his sword through the air, slashing an unsuspecting attacker. There were four left. He suddenly rushed after them, his sword held parallel to the ground. He cleared the distance between them with a leap and hacked all four of them with a horizontal swing. As soon as he ended his move he felt a drop of some kind of liquid hit his neck. He shrugged it off, assuming that it was blood splatter from his victims, but then he felt another, and then more. He looked up and saw that rain had begun to fall on them. Around him, the ongoing battle hit a brief pause as well as the rain started to fall on all of them. King Bulblin suddenly smirked as he turned his gaze from the twisted heavens to the battlefield. "Bulblins, the heavens have given up a fine stage for a battle! Let us rejoice in it!"

An instantaneous roar of Bulblin fanfare boomed throughout the courtyards, followed by the clamor of war that resumed.


	60. Chapter 58: The Sacred Instrument

**Chapter 58: The Sacred Instrument**

~~~An army of one hundred Gorons rolled through the fields of Hyrule, trying desperately top meet the King's request for them. The tumbled at high speeds, not slowing their rapid pace. The signal fire was spotted nearly a half an hour earlier, so they all hoped that the Hylians could at least hold out until they arrived. If this army was anything like what they experienced at the summit of Death Mountain a few days ago, then they were in for much bloodshed.

Though the numbing chill had left the land, King Zora could still feel the biting cold as he and his army swam down the rough and rapid Zora River. The fastest way to Hyrule Castle from Zora's Domain was to take the most direct route, which was traveling Zora River. With its additional speed due to the rapid melting of the ice, they would make it to the Castle in a matter of minutes, compared to traveling on foot, which would have taken them at least half the night if they ran at their fastest. Once they would arrive, they would take the underground pathway that led from the Cliffside of Zora's River under Hyrule Castle Bridge and arrive in the courtyards of the Castle. It had been a great while since King Zora made a visit to the Castle. More than that, he had absolutely no war experience, since the Zora Tribe never picked any fights, nor had any enemies. They were merely acting on the guidance of the Goddess of Wisdom.

As they swam, King Zora suddenly noticed that it was raining. With the addition of strong gales and the rapid cooling and heating of the land, Zora River was going to become much worse than it already was, and they needed to arrive soon or the current would cause them to be swept all the way to Lake Hylia.

Zelda and Link finally made it to the end of the spiraling staircase in one of the smaller towers of the main body of the Castle. She opened the double-doors that seemed vaguely familiar to Link. When the door swung open, Link found out why he had a memory of that place: they were in Zelda's room.

"Zelda," Link started, "What exactly are we here for anyway? We should be going to the Temple of Time."

"Have you every read the engraving on the altar in the Temple of Time?" she asked.

"Yes, I have," he answered, confused at what she was getting at.

"'The Blessing of the Forest. The Power of the Mountain. The Grace of the River. The Messenger of Time. Shall these things bring forth the Chosen Hero.' Do you understand what that means?"

Link put his hand on his chin. "The Blessing of the Forest represents the Kokiri Emerald, the Power of the Mountain is the Goron Ruby, the Grace of the River is the Zora Sapphire, and the Messenger of… Wait, what would represent the Messenger of Time then?" Link asked, looking at Zelda with much concern.

"That is what I'm here to get," she said as she turned from him and walked over to the unlit fireplace. She reached up to a Royal Family Crest that hung over the fireplace and pulled it off of the wall, revealing a hole in the wall. She reached into it and pulled out a shinning blue object.

"What is that?" Link asked curiously.

She turned to him and showed him what she held. It was an instrument of some kind, with holes throughout it and an engraving of the Triforce where the mouthpiece was. "This is called, the Ocarina of Time. Centuries ago, an ancient tribe in the sky crafted this sacred instrument and passed it on to the Hero of old for him to use. Since then it had been passed through the Royal Family as a key to obtaining the Master Sword."

Link looked closely at it, taking in every detail that comprised the woodwind.

"Even if we had all of the stones, we couldn't even hope to get past the Door into the inner sanctum without this," she continued to explain. "And Link,"

"Yes," he said, looking to her again.

"Please wait outside of the door," she frankly said.

"Huh? Why?" Link asked, again confused at her context.

"I must change my clothes."

"Why now, of all the times, do you want to change?" Link said in distress.

"It is customary for a member of the Royal Family to dress on ceremony for such sacred events. And…"

"And what?" Link said, narrowing his gaze at her.

"…I can't stand these clothes anymore," she said, signaling to her dirty and torn outfit.

"…Oh, okay then," Link said, and then turned and left the room.

With impeccable silence, the Sheikah bounded over the rooftops of Castle Town, on their way to Hyrule Castle. With a fight of this nature, they needed to keep their element of surprise in order to be most effective in boosting the morale of the Hylian soldiers and catching the Ranul off-guard. For that to happen, they couldn't risk being seen, and they couldn't take to the streets because they could be spotted by anyone looking out of the window or lurking in the shadows as agents of the enemy.

"Village Chief," said one of the Sheikah.

"What is it?"

"Why is there no one out on the streets?"

The Village Chief looked around to see what he meant. He hadn't realized that the streets were completely empty. "I believe that the King enforced a curfew to keep the townsfolk out of danger. That would be the likely reason."

After awhile, they finally reached Hyrule Castle Bridge. The Village Chief signaled them all to stop as he looked up to the heights of Castle through the rain. Hundreds of warriors could be seen on and about the Castle, engaging each other with much fanfare.

"This is it, my sons! Give your Hylian brothers our strength and let us end this with speed!" shouted the Village Chief, still looking to the fight.

Despite the average army that would have responded with loud clamor and hooting, the Sheikah merely nodded and followed the Village Chief into battle.

Viscen swung his lance at the Supreme Patriarch with great power, but he was duly blocked by the Supreme Patriarch's blades. The Supreme Patriarch deflected his lance and drove his sword at him. Viscen moved his body out of the way of the move and thrust his lance at him, but he was dodged by the Patriarch in a similar manner.

"Heh, your reactions and skills are beyond your own King's. It's not a wonder that you've survived all this time," the Supreme Patriarch said.

Viscen pointed his lance at him. "Am I supposed to be flattered?"

"You should. It's the highest complement you could receive from me at this point, and your last complement from me," he said with levity.

Viscen lunged at him once again, thrusting his lance at the Supreme Patriarch. The Supreme Patriarch vanished from where he was and reappeared slightly to Viscen's right. He wound up his sword for an attack, but Viscen quickly diverted his thrust into a side-swipe at the Patriarch. The Supreme Patriarch was forced to block the swing with his swords, canceling his planned offensive. Viscen pulled away from the Supreme Patriarch and then he vertically brought his lance upon the Patriarch. The Supreme Patriarch blocked the powerful blow, but before he could retaliate, Viscen drew a hidden knife from his gauntlet and took his dwindling window of opportunity to strike the Supreme Patriarch in his moment of weakness. He succeeded, plunging the small blade through his deep robe and into his chest. Viscen quickly retreated away from the Supreme Patriarch again, lest he be taken by a sudden retaliation. The Supreme Patriarch grunted as he came to the realization that he had been stabbed by Viscen.

"You are definitely different than the other Hylians here," he said as a blade dissipated from one of his hands. He reached his hand to the knife when Viscen unexpectedly launched another offensive, dashing at him with much more speed and intensity. The Supreme Patriarch expertly turned aside the surprise attack with his other sword, causing Viscen to stumble right past him. "The worst thing you could do is to attack your foe when he is not at ready. You have no idea if he is expecting you to attack or not," the Patriarch said sternly as he grabbed the knife in his chest. With a single pull, he yanked the blade right from his chest. A shinning coat of crimson stained the knife's blade, but no blood was expended from the wound, alarming Viscen, especially since he had staked the Patriarch in his heart – or at least where his heart should have been.

"What kind of being are you?" Viscen said, his eyes clearly wearing the shock his mind held.

The Patriarch turned around to face him. "The truth of what we are would probably kill you if I told --!" The Supreme Patriarch suddenly put his free hand on his side as he groaned. Viscen had slashed his side during his last attack. "On second thought, you have proven yourself to be exceptional compared to the other Hylians. I was definitely not wrong in aspiring to eliminate you. You are the biggest threat to my design," he said as he released his hand from the wound. He reformed his blade in his hand and took his stance against Viscen.

"I must kill you now."

Darmani and the Patriarch both charged furiously at each other. His fist met with the Patriarch's and caused an incredible impact, crumbling the ground beneath them. Darmani flew his other fist at him, and the Patriarch did the same, and they both met with the same result. From there, they began to push against each other with their met fist. Darmani gazed furiously at his foe, trying to see a trace of a soul within him, but the cold, steel mask blocked any means of perception into the truth of who he fought. Darmani began to prevail in the contest of strength, forcing the Patriarch back. The Patriarch suddenly broke away and tackled Darmani to the ground. The Patriarch brought both of his fists together, forming a club, and attempted to bash Darmani's face, but Darmani reversed the position they were in, and he landed on top of the Patriarch and pushed down on him, trying to crush him beneath his weight. The Patriarch struggled madly to push Darmani off until he finally was able to. The two stood up and faced each other.

Darmani leaped into the air and curled up in his rock shape. He fell down on the Patriarch like a meteorite, but the Patriarch managed to avoid being crushed. The Patriarch then pulled one of his fists back and it suddenly was engulfed by a blue and black aura. He launched a punch at Darmani and it landed, sending Darmani flying. He crashed into a nearby wall, creating an impact fracture on it. The Patriarch quickly approached Darmani again and brought his fists down like a hammer on him. Darmani retaliated suddenly, throwing an uppercut at him and hitting him before his attack hit. The Patriarch was knocked back and fell to the ground. Darmani stood up and grabbed the Patriarch's leg before he could move away, and lifted him from the ground. He started swinging him around in a circle, incrementally increasing his speed with each revolution until he suddenly slammed him into the same wall that Darmani had collided into. The Patriarch dropped to the ground and did not move. Darmani stared for a second to see if he could claim his victory. Darmani frowned and then suddenly forced another punch at the limp Patriarch, but he missed as the Patriarch did a back flip from the spot he once was and onto his feet. Darmani swung his arm at him, but the Patriarch ducked from it and punched Darmani in his ribs. Despite his tough exterior, Darmani winced in pain at the blow and staggered back from the Patriarch.

"It seems that Gorons aren't as stupid as I've been told," the Patriarch said with a rough and weathered voice.

"But you Patriarchs are as cowardly as I imagined."

"I am truly happy to have met a Zora," said a Patriarch to Mikau.

They stood along the bridge that led to the Eastern Tower of Hyrule Castle. Mikau was defending the Tower, along with the soldiers of Hyrule when one of the Patriarchs suddenly made an appearance there. He seemed to be familiar with who Mikau was, for he directly challenged Mikau to a duel. Apparently, the men at his command respected his presence, as they did not venture close to them.

"Why are you so cheerful about that?" Mikau asked.

"Throughout our stay here, I've learned a bit about each tribe here. The tribe that most fascinated me was the Zora, due to its exclusive nature. Your tribe seems to value separation from the rest of the Kingdom; why is that?"

"That's not something I need to discuss with you!" Mikau said in anger, bearing his ulna fins at him.

"You are quite the frank one. I at least wanted to ease the mood with small talk before we fought, but it seems that you and I are not on one –!"

"Friendly talk from the likes of you is worthless!" Mikau darted off at the Patriarch. He swiped at him with his fins, but the Patriarch merely stepped back just enough to avoid the attack.

"If that is how you want it, then I will act accordingly," The Patriarch suddenly grew an aura around him, and light began focusing in six different areas in the space in front of him. Without any notice, the focused lights suddenly stretched and twisted around both of them, warping the scene around them until they were both equally enveloped in the strange light. "Have you ever heard of the phenomenon, déjà vécu?" the Patriarch suddenly asked Mikau.

Mikau looked at him with a baffled expression. The light around them slowly began to recede into darkness.

"It's the experience of a scene in life that one believes to have already witnessed," The darkness around them fled just as the light did, revealing a place not at the Castle. They were in a giant chamber with four arc pillars reaching to the center of the ceiling and meeting each other. In the center of the room on the floor was an engraving of the Triforce. The same was also on the center of the ceiling. There was also a large stained glass window with a weathered design on it that couldn't be discerned.

_"I've…seen this place before."_

Mikau suddenly noticed that the Patriarch was no longer standing in front of him like previously. He looked around until he found him levitating in mid-air.

"Do you recognize where you are yet?" asked the Patriarch in a condescending manner.

Mikau prepared himself for combat once again. "How did you know that we came to this temple before?"

The Patriarch crossed his arms. "I get the feeling that you believe we have suddenly transported here or something. We aren't actually at that temple, but rather we are inside your memories – your mind."


	61. Chapter 59: Hyrule's Future

**Chapter 59: Hyrule's Future**

~~~The double-doors of Zelda's room opened slowly. Behind them, was Zelda, looking as if the goddesses had incarnated themselves into human form. Link's heart felt as if it would suddenly explode for a moment as his eyes fell on her. She was even more breath-taking than the first time they met. Zelda laughed a little as she saw Link's face. "You're blushing just as much as when we first met here, eight days ago."

"Oh- uh, I was just a little shocked at how different you looked without your Sheikah disguise," Link said in a flustered manner.

Zelda's eyes became more serious. "Are you ready to go, Link?"

Link's eyes became firm also as he nodded in approval. They both started down the staircase to exit the tower.

The Supreme Patriarch leaped forward at Viscen and began spinning his blades in front of him. Viscen braced himself for the attack.

_"This is the move that the King lost his arm to!"_

Instead of attempting to outrun the attack or dodging it, Viscen stood his ground and waited for some kind of weakness to show itself as the Supreme Patriarch came closer. He watched him carefully as he held his lance at ready. Suddenly, he found it; the opening. Viscen thrust his lance straight forward just before the Supreme Patriarch came close enough to hit Viscen. His lance went through the space in between the two swords and right at the Supreme Patriarch's head. This was it, he had finally bested him. Before Viscen's shinning lance sunk into the Patriarch's skull, a bright light quickly enshrouded the Patriarch and then it receded, leaving no trace of him. Viscen's lance hit thin air instead of the intended target. Viscen heard a suddenly sound above him that resembled a fluttering cloth. He looked up and saw the Supreme Patriarch coming down on him. Viscen quickly brought up his lance and blocked the two swords. The Patriarch continued to force his swords through Viscen's lance, keeping them at a standoff.

"For all this time, we've been making measures to put each other to an end, not realizing that we both were stuck in a stalemate. Now, a victor must be found," the Supreme Patriarch began.

Viscen glared viciously into the dark holes of the Patriarch's steel mask as he held his defense.

"One of us must break this equilibrium and live," the Supreme Patriarch continued, "And one of us will die tonight." The Supreme Patriarch pushed his swords harder against the defending Viscen, making Viscen grunt as he continued his opposition.

"Even if I die here, you will never reach your goal," Viscen said sternly.

"Even if you die here?" repeated the Patriarch, "Interesting challenge. Let's see if you're right." The Patriarch backed away from Viscen quickly, ending their clash, and then he lunged suddenly at him, pointing one sword out to Viscen. Viscen quickly moved his lance to the attack and blocked it, pinning the sword to the ground. The Supreme Patriarch used his other sword to attack, but Viscen shifted the other end of his lance to block that one also. Viscen used his advantage over the Supreme Patriarch and tripped him up with a kick, causing the Supreme Patriarch to fall to the ground. Viscen raised his lance and drove it into the Patriarch's body. The lance went in, and blood spewed out briefly as it happened. In succession to Viscen's blow, the Supreme Patriarch quickly dealt his own blow. The sword went through Viscen's chest.

Both of them moved no more. They only stared at each other as they came to realize the reality of their situation.

"Very good, Viscen," the Supreme Patriarch said, "I expected no less from you," He yanked his sword from Viscen and a torrent of blood rushed from the open wound as Viscen fell to the ground, leaving his lance in the Patriarch's body. The Patriarch stood up, seemingly paying no mind to the lance protruding from him. "If I was as you are, then perhaps I'd be dead now," he said as his twin blades faded from existence.

Viscen's eyes moved frantically as he struggled to breathe through his overwhelming pain. He rolled from side to side slowly as if he was attempting to escape his oncoming death.

_'Now, don't let me down, Hero.'_

Viscen knew that Link wouldn't let him down, but he never thought that he'd be the one to let Link down. He had the chance to stop the biggest threat to Hyrule's existence, and he failed to take it.

"This is at least for sure: You got to thrust your lance into my heart," the Supreme Patriarch said, "But it's a pity for you that it takes more than that to kill me."

"Mark my words," Viscen struggled to say with the little energy he had remaining, "Link will kill you…"

"I will remember your word, Viscen the Knight of Hyrule," the Patriarch answered.

Viscen looked to the amber sky outside of the Throne Room. Though he would not live to see it, he knew that through the rain, through the lightning and thunder, through the clouds, and through the night, the bright morning of Hyrule's future waited for them. Viscen smirked slightly. He lived up to the standard of a Knight; he died, fulfilling his duty to his Kingdom. He slowly exhaled his last time and let the gripping darkness take him.

The Supreme Patriarch watched Viscen's body for a moment to make sure that he was no more. Once he felt comfortable, he pulled the lance from his body and dropped it to the ground. "You were my greatest obstacle Viscen, but now I have overcome you. Hyrule is mine," The Supreme Patriarch exited the Throne Room, leaving behind the bodies of Viscen and the King. Thunder clapped in a furious fit.

Iyuga and Medi both stood side by side as they watched two Patriarchs approached them. One of the Patriarchs carried a hammer, with a very long handle. The hammer was made of a metal material and was colored black with glowing blue designs on it. The other Patriarch had a long chain that wrapped around his arms, legs, and his body. The chain seemed to be made of some tangible form of energy.

"This is what the Patriarchs look like," Iyuga commented to himself.

"Hey," Medi said, getting Iyuga's attention, "Who do you prefer to take on?" she asked.

"I'll take the one with the chains. Since I also use some myself, it'll be easy to combat him," he answered confidently.

"Then I'll take the one with the hammer," Medi said, trying to seem confident.

"Medi," Iyuga said, looking at her, "If you need my help, I'm here, remember that."

Medi blushed slightly and said, "I know, I can take care of myself though."

Iyuga nodded in approval and rushed his opponent. He lunged forward at him, holding a single needle in one hand. Just before he made contact, the Patriarch lifted one of his hands and the chains around it unraveled, hitting Iyuga. He fell back and hit the floor.

"You are too confident in yourself if you fight with only a needle," the Patriarch said with a deep voice.

Iyuga jumped to his feet and quickly darted the needle at the Patriarch. The Patriarch swung his unraveled chain at the needle, but it went through one of the links and hit him in the neck. The Patriarch stumbled back and growled in pain. Iyuga used this chance to attack, tossing several needles at him. To his surprise, the Patriarch released all of his chains that clung to his body and struck down all of the incoming needles. The Patriarch straightened his pose once again and faced Iyuga. "You are a clever man to be able to take full advantage of a moment of weakness, but as you can see," The Patriarch pulled the needle from his neck and dropped it. "You must adapt your techniques if you want to kill me."

Iyuga narrowed his eyes. "I suppose that you mean to tell me how to kill you?" he asked.

"Of course not. The secrets of the Ranul are sealed within the tribe and they will never be uttered to any other race!" The Patriarch launched a sudden offensive, commanding the chains of both his arms, legs and his body, making a total of five chains he used all at once. Iyuga released the hidden chains from the sleeves of both his arms and made accurate swings with them, blocking each one. As he defended, he searched the Patriarch's person with the special sight he had to find a hint of some kind as to how to defeat him. Suddenly, a strange marking caught his eye; it seemed to be a marking shaped like the moon, or some other round object that was on his abdomen. As he examined it, he noticed how all of the markings on his body extended from it. If he had to guess, that would be a likely place to strike at. The other thing that bewildered him was why he could not see his face. Most of his body was visible, only because of the life energy emitted by it outlined the features. The face however was a blur. He noticed that also with Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf, during the time he watched them. What his face looked like was not important though; killing him was.

Medi cautiously approached the large Patriarch. He stopped walking and held his hammer in a formal stance, preparing to fight her. "You do not appear to want to fight. Do you intend to surrender?" the Patriarch said in a tone that was ambiguous.

"No, I do not plan on surrendering, but I don't want to fight either. Why do you want to fight?" Medi said.

"Our Father desires to save this Kingdom from its own destruction and to rule it with us by his side. For that, I will fight and kill to ensure that it happens."

"What do you mean, 'save the Kingdom from its own destruction'?" Medi asked, confused at his words.

"You haven't felt it? All around this kingdom, dissenting voices and unrest fill the hearts of its people. Within this Kingdom's history, there is a source of hatred and greed that continues to fester in each person to this day. It won't be long before the poison strikes, and your Kingdom is filled with war and death. This is what our Father hopes to stop by taking your Kingdom," the Patriarch said with a grave tone.

Medi's eyes slightly widened. "Our Kingdom will be filled with war and death?" she said with horror.

"Yes. If you wish to surrender, I will spare you death if you flee the battle immediately." he said, still holding his fighting stance.

Medi raised her Kodachi and took stance to fight. "I don't know if what you said is true, but I cannot allow you to take our Kingdom either. Whatever problems arise, we will find a way to overcome it," she said, with a new spark of confidence.

"You have forfeited your life then." The Patriarch swung his hammer at Medi, but she ducked under it and ran at the Patriarch. She got in close and stabbed him in the heart and then pulled away quickly. She smirked as she retreated away from him, sure of herself that she had won. The Patriarch's wound bled for a moment and then it ceased to bleed.

"It is not as simple as that to kill me," he said, and then he spun around and brought his hammer upon her once again. She had no time to duck from it, so she countered the attack by kicking against it, but the force of the hammer resisted and launched her off the bridge. She had no time to scream as she began her frightening fall from the top of the Western Tower Bridge to the war-filled courtyards below. Never in her life did she think she would die so suddenly and unannounced. She expected to die as an old maid, not as an unfortunate warrior on a battlefield far away from home. She closed her eyes, hoping that reality would mute itself in her final moments. Suddenly, she no longer felt the air under her push against her as she fell. The wind blew violently in her face and she felt the warmth of another person grip her. She opened her eyes and saw Iyuga holding on to her as he swung them to safety with the chains of his free hand.

"I told you that I'm here for you if you need me," he said to her as they swung their way back to the top of the bridge.

Medi couldn't find the words to thank him for what he did. Words instead gave way to tears. Iyuga smiled softly and then he straightened his face. "Keep your emotions together. We are still in the fight," he informed her.

She wiped her tears from her cheeks and nodded.

"So, what do you think?" Eroraf said to his brothers as they stood atop the Northern Tower, watching the intense warring.

"All of them are completely foolish pawns," said Nid. "I must say, though, Grandfather did a nice job with the moon. It feels even stronger than last night."

"I agree with you on that," said Eroraf, "But I could do with out the rain. I guess we have Silar and his group to thank for this."

Uryan snickered slightly.

"What do you see?" asked Nid.

"Link and Zelda are finally making their way to the Temple of Time."

"Should we go now?" asked Eroraf.

"Not just yet. When they get there, they'll have a challenging fight to deal with. We don't need to hurry just yet," Uryan said.

"Oh, I see then," said Eroraf.

The Gorons finally reached the gates of Castle Town. They were surprised to find that it was deserted and left open for them to enter. If there was the possibility of war, why would they leave the gates open?

"Dakure, look!" one of the Gorons said to their stand-in leader, pointing up to Hyrule Castle. It was hard to tell from where they were but it seemed like there was fighting going on at the Castle. That would explain the unguarded gates. But then that would mean that Castle Town was destroyed.

"Brothers, let us hurry!" Dakure shouted to his charge and they ran through the gates. Once inside, they expected to see burning buildings and streets of death. Instead, they saw a quite scene. The streets were empty and the buildings were intact.

_"If the fighting has reached Hyrule Castle, then why did they not attack the town?"_

The Gorons rushed through the disturbingly peaceful town and on to the cacophonic scene of war.

Looking up through the water, King Zora could see that they were approaching the Cliffside. This was it. They couldn't afford any mistakes as they made their exit. King Zora vibrated his fins in a certain patter to communicate with the rest of his army that they would be disengaging the river. He received their reply letting him know that they were ready to go. King Zora knew he had to time it just right or they would miss it. To their right would be a tunnel that led directly to the underground path. They needed to make the turn before they got too close otherwise the current would continue to pull them and they would miss it. King Zora caught sight of the tunnel and braced himself. His heart raced as they came closer. In a brief moment of time, King Zora vibrated his fins to give the signal and then he made his turn, with the others following. The force of the two conflicting currents was treacherous, making King Zora put forth all of his effort to make the turn. Suddenly, he was pulled away from his turn and was starting to slide down river. As he was pulled further and further away from the tunnel, a fellow Zora grabbed a hold of King Zora and swam with all of his might back on course. As hard as the Zora swam, they still made little progress. Before long, another Zora gave his assistance and pulled with the other Zora. They built up enough speed to escape the river's current and into the tunnel. They surfaced along with the rest of the Zoras and shortly celebrated their victory over the river.

"We have only made it to the Cliffside, but our challenge that lies ahead is far greater than any that Zora River can provide us. I understand that none of us has any experience with war, so we have no idea what exactly will await us," said King Zora, "But by the wisdom of Nayru, we will find our strength and us it! Let's move forward!"

The Zoras yelled in accordance with King Zora's words and they swam on.


	62. Chapter 60: Blessed Sword

**Chapter 60: The Blessed Sword**

~~~The cold iron mask fell from the Patriarch's hand and fell to the ground. The sound it made when it hit the stony floor rang as loud as a thunder report. Rakam's eyes fixed on the exclusive sight. He was stunned not so much by the man's appearance; he had been well acquainted with that himself. What shocked him was the fact that the Patriarch would act so boldly as to break a fundamental law of the Ranul. Lightning silhouetted his facial features, and then the following thunder punctuated the moment as his face became clear.

"Gaze well upon the true glory of our tribe!" the Patriarch said as if in triumph. His orange eyes glistened in the twisted moonlight. His face was marked with glowing blue markings and his skin was colored in an unusual black and blue. His teeth flashed like a feral carnivore as he gave Rakam a demonic and distorted smile. "When compared to this, the power of your Hero means nothing!" he yelled as he brought his great sword to stance.

Rakam prepared himself also. "There is one thing that's been bothering me ever since I uncovered this whole plot: Why hasn't the oracle taken any action to correct all of you?"

The twisted smile that the Patriarch had waned as the question was asked. "I would have thought that you'd have deducted that by now. He was killed."

Rakam gasped. "You…killed the oracle?!" he said in near-disbelief.

"Yes. The oracle knew before the start that Father was planning on going against the prophecy, and attempted to rebuke his actions. Despite that, Father took to the measure of killing him, seeing that the plan could go no further as long as the oracle lived," the Patriarch explained with a straight face.

"How could you stand idle as he did this?!" Rakam yelled in anger.

"There was another prophecy made by the oracle before this all happened that was kept a secret from the rest of the tribe."

Rakam's expression relaxed slightly. "Another prophecy?"

The Patriarch nodded. "The prophecy told of how Hyrule's history of greed and hatred would bring a terrible war upon it, causing extreme death and sadness to permeate the Kingdom."

"So? What does this have to do with taking the Triforce?" Rakam asked, becoming infuriated once again.

"Don't you see by now? If we stand by and let the land continue as it is, these things will come to pass and we, the new stewards of Hyrule, will have failed our charge. It is our duty to Hyrule and its people to take control of the land in order to save the people from themselves!"

"How could you believe such crap?!" Rakam dashed forward at the Patriarch with all speed and quickly swung at him. The Patriarch blocked the strike and countered, kicking Rakam away from him. Rakam retreated away from him to regain his composure.

"Seizing control of Hyrule is the only way to make sure they do not make the mistake of fulfilling the prophecy!" the Patriarch said.

Rakam shook his head in denial. "I don't believe it… It is our job to see that Hyrule's Hero succeeds. We weren't sent here to solve Hyrule's problems. The Goddesses will give them the ability to work out whatever trouble they may face."

"It is that sort of naïve thinking that caused you and your brothers to be exiled in the first place! The world isn't as simple as that!" The Patriarch initiated his attack, holding his great sword up as he swiftly closed the distance between them. He pulled the sword down on Rakam, but Rakam strafed to the side of the Patriarch and swung his sword at his torso and landed a hit. The Patriarch yelped in pain at the hit and stumbled away from Rakam. "You are more determined than I imagined."

The dragon-riding Patriarch made a quick descent on the General and pointed out his lance to hit the General. Instead of diving out of the way, the General posted up against his foe and prepared a counter attack. The Patriarch made a stab at the General, but the General leaped forward at the oncoming Patriarch, driving his lance at him. The General's unexpected lunge threw off the Patriarch's timing and forced him to pull out before the General's own lance made contact. The Patriarch's dragon flew away from the bridge to give the Patriarch an advantage once again. The General eyed his opponent carefully, barely letting himself blink, lest he should miss an important opportunity to exploit a weakness. The Patriarch's black dragon made a wide arc in the air that eventually led it back on a path towards the bridge. The drake made a strange roar that sounded unlike anything the General had ever heard. For a moment, he felt as if he would lose his mind as he listened. The Patriarch once again braced himself for another attack. The General took his lance and raised it into a throwing position. If he was to prevail in this fight, he had to demount the Patriarch. The dragon came in fast and the Patriarch pointed his lance at the General. The General tossed his lance at the Patriarch and it hit him, knocking him off of the dragon. He crashed onto the ground and rolled for a bit before coming to a stop.

_"Is he dead?"_

He approached the fallen Patriarch cautiously to confirm his question. The Patriarch suddenly got to his feet and faced him; the lance still protruded from his body as if it was natural. The General unsheathed a rapier that hung at his hip. "How are you still alive?" he inquired.

The Patriarch did not respond to his question, instead, pulling the lance from his body and tossing it to the ground in front of the General. The General looked at him with a bewildered expression.

"Take your lance, General," he said without a touch of personality or expression.

The General slowly kneeled to the lance and picked it up, still keeping eye contact with his enemy. "Why did you give me my lance back?" he asked, as he sheathed his rapier and held his lance in both hands.

The Patriarch recreated his own lance and took stance against him. "We are both commanders of our respective armies. Ought we to duel each other on equal grounds?"

The General didn't understand why he'd give up the strategic advantage he had with his dragon, but he wasn't going to press the matter any further either. He approached the Patriarch and stood at lance length from him. The Patriarch suddenly held out his lance, pointing it above the General's head. The General knew this stance well; the formal challenge for a duel. The General smirked briefly and obliged by meeting the Patriarch's lance with his own.

Link was surprised at how they had met with no resistance as they escaped the Castle. Though they had only been exposed directly to the battlefield for a moment, as they made their way to a secret passage that Zelda knew of, not one of the enemies made an attempt to hinder their progress. Zelda led him to the bottom of the Castle's main body. Link was impressed by the ability of the Castle Guard in keeping the Ranul's army from infiltrating the inside of the Castle. Servants, workers, and nobility held up quietly within the halls of the Castle, hoping that they would stay untouched as the battle went on. Some of them could be heard crying while others merely sat quietly or whispered to one another. They made it to the main entrance of the Castle and came to a door leading to a room. They went into it and found a fairly large room filled with bookshelves and armor displays. They weaved through the rows of shelves until they came to a wall with unlit candles that protruded from the wall. Zelda pulled on the handle of one of the candles and it followed Zelda's motion, moving like a lever. The sound of moving gears was heard, followed by rotation of the wall that they stood in front of.

"What is this?" Link asked, amazed that a hidden passage was in a room like that.

"This pathway will lead out of the Castle and into a house nearby the Temple of Time," she frankly explained as she proceeded into the passage.

"But wait, how could it lead us there when the Castle is separated from Castle Town by Zora River?" Link asked.

"There is a path under the Castle Bridge that links this pass to the town. We can go through here undetected that way," she said as she grabbed a nearby candle and lit it with a flint. "Let's go."

The tunnel was dark and cool. To Link's surprise, it was wall and floored with stone bricks. A strong gale also blew through the tunnel, suggesting either that the exit wasn't far off, or that the winds were dangerously strong.

"Link," Zelda said.

Link jumped slightly at her sudden voice. "Yes?"

"Whatever happens, I am glad to have had the blessing of fighting along side you," she said with a solemn voice.

"What are you saying?" Link asked, bewildered at the emotion in her voice.

"Your dream that you told me about… We're getting close to the Temple of Time. I'm scared for you…" she said with a quivery voice.

The images of that horrific nightmare he had suddenly flashed through his mind as he remembered it. She was right. He could very well be living his last moments. He grabbed Zelda's hand and turned her to him, looking her very firmly in her eyes.

_'When the time comes for you to make that decision of life or death, make the choice for the happiness of the Kingdom and those around you.'_

"Zelda," he started, "I'm not alone in this fight as I was in that dream. I have Viscen, Darmani, Medi, Iyuga, Mikau, and the rest of the Kingdom risking everything in this fight to help me save our Kingdom. Even now, you're with me. Without you all here for me, death would be a sure thing for me," he said. "If it wasn't for my comrades and you, I would have never realized this fact. Your strength has allowed me to make it this far. Now, I need you to be strong more than ever for me,"

She wiped the tears that fell from her eyes. "You're right…" she said as she regained her composure, "I will be as strong as I can for you."

As they continued on, they caught sight of the tunnel's exit. The strange hue of the night lit the exit with a bronze light. The gusts of wind that blew through were strong enough to make them lose balance at times.

"Were at the bridge," Zelda noted to Link, "Take special care not to lose your footing in this kind of wind,"

They stepped out of the tunnel and on to the bottom path of the bridge. The main path of the bridge was directly above them and the sight of the turbulent Zora River below them could be seen as they looked out from the bridge. Zelda led him across the bridge in a swift fashion, battling the brutal winds and the cold touch of the raindrops that blew into the pathway. The other side of the bridge led into another tunnel like the one they just exited from.

For a while longer, they treaded the dark tunnel with nothing more than the candlelight that Zelda used to guide their path. Eventually, they caught sight of a faint light that made a square-shape in the ceiling ahead of them.

"This is it," warned Zelda, "This house we will be entering is a secret safe house mastered by Sheikah that serve the Royal Family," When they made it directly under the highlighted square, Zelda pushed against it and the ceiling opened like a trapdoor, revealing an exit. A ladder led to the top of it. Zelda started up the ladder first, followed by Link. Once they made it to the top, they found themselves in what looked like a storage room. Zelda used her candle to find the door and she opened it into the next room. Inside the room was a single white-haired man, a Sheikah, reclining in a wooden chair that sat in the middle of the scarcely furnished room. Upon seeing them, he abruptly sat up in his chair with a surprised look on his face. "Your Highness?!" he said, almost in a scream.

"Please excuse our unannounced intrusion. Our situation is dire," she said apologetically.

The Sheikah waved his hand and shook his head. "No, no, I'm not mad or anything. I just didn't expect you to arrive so fast." He paused as he scratched the back of his head in thought. "But then again, with that battle happening at the Castle, it should have been expected though," His eyes widened as he suddenly noticed Link. "Who's he?"

"This man is the Hero that you've probably heard about," she said, almost with pride.

"Oh?" he said in astonishment. "Who would have thought that I'd be so honored to meet you," he said with silent glee. "Well, don't let me hold you up now, keep going on," he said as he lay back in his chair again.

"Thank you," Zelda said as they walked to the door out of the house.

The rain filled the streets with standing water and puddles as the lightning and thunder filled the clouded and strange night. Not a person was seen outside, just as it was when they first passed through.

"Where are we?" asked Link.

"We are in East Side. The Temple of Time isn't far from here."

Zelda and Link ran down the street until they made it to the gray stone steps that led to the Temple. The rows of trees bore an ominous look as they ran through the tree-lined path to the Temple door, increasing Zelda's apprehension of what was to become of this night. They made it to the Temple's strong wooden double doors. Just as Link put his hand on the door's handle, Zelda suddenly stopped his hand with her own.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Zelda didn't reply; she only held her hand in place over his. Through her rain-drenched hair, he could see the ghastly look in her eyes.

"Zelda, you need to be strong for me," he reminded her.

Without any warning, she suddenly fell into him and burrowed her face into him. She wailed deeply as she clung to him. "Does it really have to happen this way?" she said through her weeping. "Do you really have to die for us to live?"

Link had no sentence in his mind to reassure her. He struggled with what to do until he suddenly made his decision; he held her close to him, like how a mother to her hurt child or a big brother to his little sister would. He waited for her to efficiently empty her emotions, covering her head from the rain.

"Zelda," Link started to say, "Whatever happens, you need to understand that it's for the best," Link looked out to Hyrule Castle. "The Goddesses are with us."

Zelda found the strength to lift herself from Link. She wiped her tear-drenched cheeks and tried to form a confident expression through her sadness. "I'm sorry…" she quietly said. "I promised that I'd be strong for you."

"Don't worry about it," Link said, with a smile, "There's one bright side to this that I can definitely see. The curse mark will be gone after this."

The wooden double doors swung open slowly, revealing the sacred hall of the Temple. Strangely enough, some kind of omnipresent light seemed to light the Temple as if the sun had never set upon the Kingdom. Link felt chills overtake him as he remembered his previous visit to this place. Everything was similar to how it was those eight days ago; the only difference was that everything he had worked up to was on the line now. They both made their stop at the altar.

_"The Blessing of the Forest."_

Link took out the Kokiri Emerald and placed it in the slot it fit best into.

_"The Power of the Mountain."_

The Goron Ruby glinted in the light as it was placed in its proper place.

_"The Grace of the River."_

Link fitted the Zora Sapphire in its resting place with ease.

_"The Messenger of Time."_

Zelda approached the altar with the Ocarina of Time in her hands. She carefully brought it to her lips and began to play a solemn song that made them realize the weight of what they were facing. For a moment, Link felt like the both of them had been lost in time as she played. Suddenly, the stone door behind the altar shook and then slid into the walls on either side of it, revealing the legendary inner sanctum of the Temple. Link swallowed as he prepared himself to move forward. This was it.

_"Shall these things bring forth the Chosen Hero."_

Zelda ended her song and looked ahead to the newly revealed room. Both of them proceeded slowly to the sanctum. Once through the space where the door had been, they caught sight of it; the Blessed Sword. Zelda stopped walking and looked at Link firmly. "Now's the time, go on."

Link nodded and proceeded. As he walked on, he noticed a gigantic stained-glass window ahead of him, depicting the three Goddesses cradling the Triforce which shone a golden ray of light through the darkness below it, revealing what looked like the Master Sword. His eyes led him eventually to the shinning silver blade itself; the Master Sword, sitting in its famed pedestal. He made his way up the steps until he finally came within reach of the blade. He stopped in front of it and took a deep breath as he prepared himself to draw the blade. Finally, with renewed resolve, he grabbed the handle.


	63. Chapter 61: The Weary Passenger

**Chapter 61: The Weary Passenger**

~~~Link's grasp on the Sacred Blade tightened as he prepared to lift it. The very moment everything he had done for the last eight days for had finally arrived. Just as he began to lift it, his heart pulsated, leaving him with a terrible pain. It happened again and then some more, hindering Link from performing the seemingly simple task of drawing the Sword. He fought through it and tried to pull again, but this time, he felt the opposition of an unseen force. This force fought to release Link's grip on the handle of the Master Sword as Link fought to keep his form. Before long, a black and red aura enshrouded his being and the pulsations and resistance grew stronger. Immediately, Link knew what was happening.

_'The Master Sword is said to be 'the Blade of Evil's Bane'. It purges all evil that touches the blade. If Link were able to touch it, the darkness in him would flee.'_

_"Dark Link knows what will happen if I pull this Sword! I must overcome him!"_

Link's face distorted as he attempted to fight his way through the overwhelming pain and force. His hands felt numb as he gripped tighter than ever to the handle, not letting one finger loosen. Suddenly, Link saw flashes of his dream that he had eight days ago. The scene of his drawing of the Master Sword and of his impalement repeatedly flashed through his mind at different angles and ways. He was sure that Dark Link was trying to manipulate him into letting go, but he had already come to terms with his predicted fate well before this. Before long, he found himself moving the Sword upward from the pedestal.

**_"It seems that you no longer have any fear of me."_**

As soon as he blinked, Link found himself in an endless void of darkness. There was absolutely nothing present except for a mirror image of himself. There were key differences between himself and the reflection, however: the reflection was completely black and had red eyes and markings on his skin; Dark Link.

_"What am I doing here with you?"_ Link asked, bewildered at how he suddenly appeared in this place from where he was.

**_"You are at the very core of your being; your heart, the place that I've been imprisoned since that seal your former comrades placed on me,"_** Dark Link grudgingly explained.

Somehow, Dark Link managed to confront his conscience as he was freeing the Master Sword. _"What do you want from me?"_

**_"Up until now, I had no choice but to adhere to your will and keep you alive, since I could not will my power over your body on my own. Once that Goron cursed you, though, it created a gateway for me to escape from this place and finally manifest myself."_** Dark Link's fists clenched. **_"But I had no idea that you would be so cautious with your emotions and your actions. Because of that, I had no other choice but to wait until the seal on me broke."_**

_"But it hasn't yet, so how are you able to affect me?"_

**_"The curse mark as covered most of your body, allowing me enough power to influence you, although I still cannot overtake you just yet."_**

_"Then I will ask again: what do you want from me?"_

_**"I want to take your body for my own, but in order to do that, I need to keep you from making the mistake of drawing that Sword,"**_ Dark Link said, giving Link an unfaltering stare.

_"That, you will never do,"_ Link said, returning an equally incorruptible glare to Dark Link.

_**"If you draw that Blade, you will unleash a manifold of sorrow upon everyone your hold dear."**_

_"How do you know?"_

**_"Since I was born from the power of the Fused Shadow, I share a piece of the knowledge of its creators, whom I'm sure you are well aware of."_**

Link looked down for a moment in though. _"Uryan…"_

_**"I know that they will undoubtedly kill Zelda without fail if you draw that Sword,"**_ Dark Link said firmly. **_"Not only that, but they will also see that you are dead if you draw it."_**

_"That can't be…"_ Link said with surprise.

_**"It will be if you release the Master Sword. You will not defeat them with the Master Sword, and so I only offer you one alternative: Allow me to fight through you, and it will be that Zelda, you, and the whole Kingdom will be at rest once more,"**_ he said, opening his arms as if to metaphorically offer his protection to him.

Link looked at him with a flicker of doubt, but then he quickly reformed his resolve to prevail against his antithesis. _"I will not allow you to deter me in my duty to my land,"_ he said with a strong and authoritative voice.

Dark Link growled deeply and suddenly was enveloped by his demonic aura. **_"You may not care about what happens to you, but I DO!!!"_** he shouted ferociously, posing as if he meant to fight.

_"It isn't for you or me to decide what happens to any man. All I can do is to follow the will of the Sacred Three who guide me!"_ Link said in direct opposition to Dark Link's accusing words.

Dark Link's aura grew to a tremendous size as his rage filled up within him. **_"If you won't listen to reason, then I will force open the seal and overcome you if that is what it takes!"_**

Suddenly, the darkness that previously characterized the limitless space that they occupied was filled with light.

_"Chosen Hero…"_

Link looked around to trace the source of this new voice but he could not find it. _"Who are you?"_

_"I am sent from the Goddesses Three to give thee aid in thy heavy charge."_

Dark Link's aura ceased to grow as he scanned the light-filled space for the original location of the voice. **_"You will not aid him! Only I have the power to emerge as the victor in the struggle!"_**

_"I and mine three kin shall drive the dark one away from thee. Now, take up the Sword."_

Suddenly, Link found himself back where he previously was; holding the Master Sword's handle. Instantaneously, all of the pain and force returned to his senses. He yelped as he quickly resumed his fight against those obstacles. Suddenly, a light began to shine from the Master Sword's blade. Behind him, where Zelda stood watch, the three Spiritual Stones also shone a radiant and pure light. All four of these lights suddenly converged on Link and entered his person. As soon as the light receded into Link, an explosion of energy occurred, filling the entire space around Link with an indiscernible light. As quickly as it happened, the light faded, revealing Link still gripping the Sword's handle. Instead of a menacing aura surrounding him, he shone brilliantly with a sacred light. He felt a power within him that was unlike anything he had ever felt before. The amount of energy he felt even surpassed that which he felt during the time he fought the Death Mountain Spirit, Volvagia.

With nothing more standing in his way, he pulled up the Master Sword. It immediately, without hesitation, released itself from its long rest. The silver blade took on a luster parallel to the light that Link emitted. Suddenly, a powerful feeling of pain gripped him and he fell to his knees, holding himself up with the point of the Sword. The dark aura returned once more, conflicting with the luminous light that was around Link. The aura broke apart and formed into a solid mass near Link. He stood up as the pain receded to see what was happening with the dark energy. The mass grew larger until it was human sized, and then it quickly formed a human body. The strange humanoid matter stood on its feet and faced Link. Suddenly, features became apparent on it revealing itself to be Dark Link. He managed to survive the purging of the Master Sword.

"You can't still be alive…" Link said, bewildered at Dark Link's persistent existence.

**"As long as there is still a greater power to obtain, I will continue my existence,"** Dark Link said, drawing a darkened version of the Ogenbard.

Link unbuckled his shield and readied himself to confront one of the greatest foes of his mission. "It's time that I did what Uryan and his group couldn't."

**"You will not triumph over your darkest emotions and thoughts,"** Dark Link said.

Within in the time of a heart's beat, Link and Dark Link suddenly clashed swords, light and sound dashing from the two contrasting blades. They held their position, matching each other blade-to-blade and eye-to-eye. The endless fires of Dark Link's hateful and bitter glare could not evaporate the endless blue ocean of Link's determined gaze and vice versa. They drew away from each other and stood at length.

**"Do you truly think that you can match my speed and power?"** Dark Link asked in a mockingly doubtful tone.

"The true question is can you keep up with mine?" Link confidently rebutted.

Dark Link snarled deeply and suddenly disappeared from his position. His speed had transcended normal eyesight. To Link's amazement, his eye focus suddenly seemed to shift. Everything that was happening slowed, allowing him to see Dark Link's movements as if he was moving at a normal pace. Dark Link made a full circle around Link and attempted to attack him in his blind spot, but Link quickly caught on and guarded himself from the strike with his shield. With the small moment of opportunity made available at the height of the block, he horizontally swung his sword at Dark Link, but was met with an equally executed block with the shield Dark Link possessed. Again, the two pushed off and fell away from each other to break the stalemate. Dark Link's aura grew tremendously and then he vertically swung his sword through the air, creating a wave of dark energy that moved with speed towards Link. Instinctively, Link performed his special technique, spinning swiftly in place with his sword out. The move generated a powerful energy that quickly expanded, conflicting with Dark Link's attack. The two attacks meshed and then suddenly dissipated in cancellation. Dark Link charged after Link at a blinding speed as soon as he saw that his attack failed. Link dashed at his counterpart also, holding his sword to his side and his shield up in front to meet the attack. With a flash of light, the two engaged each other. Their speed of combat was far beyond that which anyone could see. Swing after thrust, block after parry, the two of them equally met each other's respective sword and shield as if they were mirror images of each other. As the brawl continued, their auras became as one giant mass of energy that continued to expand as the intensity of the fight rose.

As Link fought, he suddenly found an opening in Dark Link's defense after his failed attempt to stab him. Link thrust his sword at Dark Link's heart, hoping to end it with that. Just before it could scratch the surface of his ominous figure, Dark Link leapt from the ground and into the air. Link jumped after him, not wanting to allow Dark Link time to gather himself. Again, light and dark met with a clash, creating a thunderous sound that shook even the Temple of Time's walls briefly. As they started their descent to the ground, they continued their swift combat, not giving one or the other room for slack. They made their landing in a quick fashion not pausing at the shock of the fall. Link launched a surprise attack on Dark Link, spinning without notice. The intense and well-executed move threw Dark Link away from him, causing him to crash into a wall on the opposite end of the sanctum. Dark Link fell to the ground, moaning from the pain of the hit. He gathered his bearings and stood to his feet once more, holding his wound. Unlike an ordinary wound, however, this one shone a white light from it, directly contrasting with his dark make-up.

**"Your life belongs to me…"** he said as he prepared to fight again. **"Your blood was paid for with my tireless dedication while we were as one. You would have long since perished if not for my power,"** he said, giving a hateful expression to Link.

"I didn't ask for you to do anything for me or to me. My life belongs to me and I owe you nothing more than your death!" Link shouted as he suddenly charged Dark Link. Their swords once again met with clashing as the fighting continued. Dark Link launched a powerful swing at Link, of which he managed to block. Dark Link pressed on against Link's defense, trying to break through his blade with his own. With a blink of an eye, Link suddenly found himself in that strange space that they were once in. The light that permeated it last time still filled the space with light as Link and Dark Link stood directly in front of each other.

_**"Everyday, since I became manifested within you, I've had to suffer constantly, watching you have relationships, fight in glorious battles, be appreciated and even honored by others… It tore me apart…"**_ Dark Link said with a bitter sounding voice. **_"Whenever I appeared through your body, however, it was only to preserve this same life that I had grown to hate watching. Every time I had to fight and kill for you, my hatred for everything increased! Do you have any idea how it feels to preserve the very life you despise?!"_** he said, yelling to Link in a fury.

_"Like I said, I never asked for your help, or for you to be inside of me!"_ Link countered, growing frustrated at Dark Link's accusations.

**_"Wrong!"_** Dark Link yelled, **_"Every time I appeared, it was because you were about to get yourself killed! If you died, then I would have died!"_** Dark Link's face calmed itself slightly. **_"But now we are separated. I will make sure to procure my debt from you."_**

In an instant, Link found himself where he was before, defending against Dark Link's pressing sword. Dark Link's eyes had grown intense, changing from that familiar fire that characterized his eyes to a bloody abyss. He could see how much he wanted to kill him, how much he wanted to make him bleed.

_"Do not be afraid, Chosen Hero."_

Link was surprised to hear that voice again at that time.

_"You have fought well. Now receive your victory from us."_

As soon as the voice finished speaking, he heard shards of metal tingling. When he looked at their swords, he saw Dark Link's sword shatter into many pieces. As surprised by this as he was, Link knew right away what he needed to do next. He pulled his sword back slightly and then stabbed Dark Link in the chest. For a split second, he saw an uncanny resemblance of himself in Dark Link's face, but then the semblance quickly vanished, becoming Dark Link's own hateful face once more. The two of them held their respective positions for a moment. After a moment, Dark Link's lips started moving as if he was saying something, but no sound came from his mouth. Soon, he dematerialized and the particles of darkness dissipated, swirling away. Link let his sword down as he breathed a sigh of relief at the victory over him.

"You finally defeated your own shadow."

Link's heart jumped as he heard the familiar voice echo through the sanctum. When he traced it, he found the voice's owner: Uryan.


	64. Chapter 62: The Echoing Nocturne

**Chapter 62: The Echoing Nocturne**

~~~Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf. The three very men that had turned Link's world inside and out once again showed themselves to him. Link tightened his grip on his sword as he hatefully glared at them. "You three are here to stop me, aren't you?"

"That was our plan before, but now the Supreme Patriarch has found another way to obtain the Triforce," Uryan said in his familiar condescending tone of voice.

_'There are still other ways to get to the sacred realm.'_

"What are you planning?" Link inquired, knowing that something was wrong.

Suddenly, Zelda came from behind them and levitated to a space in front of them. She was unconscious and seemed to be bound by an invisible force. Link's eyes widened. "Zelda!"

"She is the object of our plan now. Through a sacrificial rite, we will make the Sacred Realm accessible and our tribe will become as the Goddesses," said Eroraf.

Link started to make a dash at them but was suddenly impeded by Zelda's limp body.

"We have full control over her. If you do anything else, we will kill her right now," Nid said firmly, "If you want to save her, there is another way you can do it, rather than resorting to combat."

Link calmed his stance. "What are your terms then?"

Zelda's body hovered near them. "Do you recall the Ruined Temple in the Lost Woods?" Uryan asked.

"Yes," Link answered, skeptical of where this was going.

"Venture to that place and go to the place of Anodro's death. You will discover our terms there," said Uryan.

"Why don't you just tell me now –?" Link was suddenly interrupted when a sudden light flashed from them. When it receded, they were gone.

"No…" Link said silently to himself, ruminating over the possible outcomes of this meeting.

_'I know that they will undoubtedly kill Zelda without fail if you draw that Sword.'_

_'Not only that, but they will also see that you are dead if you draw it.'_

Link despaired at the likelihood of Dark Link's prediction being correct. Even though they told him that Zelda could be saved, he had no assurance that that was an even plausible goal. They had deceived him in everything in the last eight days; nothing they said could fully be trusted.

_'Do not be…fooled… They still need you.'_

Though he feared that there might be treachery involved with this, he knew that there was no other way before him but to go there.

"Be at ease, Hero. Our might is with thee. Thou shalt prevail this night," spoke the booming voice of one of the Light Spirits within him.

Link looked back to the sword-less pedestal. "So, this isn't my resting place…"

Rakam watched as the Patriarch regained his composure from the blow that he received from Rakam's last attack.

"Unlike the rest of the warriors here, I possess the power to kill you without having to specifically strike you at your Mark of Origin," Rakam said to the Patriarch, pointing to a place on the Patriarch's torso.

"That may be," he said as he straightened his form again, "But you do not have the power needed to best me in combat either." Suddenly, the Patriarch's great sword shone blue as he moved in on Rakam. As soon as the distance was closed, he vertically swung at Rakam. As with the last time, Rakam strafed aside, dodging the blade. When the blade hit the ground, an explosion of energy occurred, throwing Rakam off his feet as he suffered slight injury. "Neither you or the Hero will prevail tonight. The new Hyrule will be born with the sunrise!"

Rakam got to his feet. "You can say what you want," Rakam's sword grew slightly brighter. "But the Hero will succeed in destroying your plans."

Rakam dashed swiftly before the Patriarch and launched a barrage of attacks, not allowing the Patriarch to gain a second of an advantage. The Patriarch struggled to keep up with Rakam's speed, using a sword that wasn't design for close-quarters combat. Each stab that Rakam threw came closer and closer to hitting the Patriarch. Without notice, the Patriarch suddenly backed away from the onslaught and horizontally swung at Rakam. Having no time to dodge the surprise offensive, Rakam blocked the move with his sword, but he could not cancel out the force that the attack came with. The explosion of energy also occurred too, blasting Rakam back. Rakam managed to stay on his feet as he came to rest at length from the Patriarch.

"The odds are horribly against you," said the Patriarch, "Yet you continue to fight against me, ignoring this fact." The Patriarch rested the point of the sword on the ground. "What is driving you so deep that you would die for this cause?"

"Because I gave my life, when I became a Retarc, to the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Hero's coming. I vowed that I would do whatever it took to serve the Hero in his task to overthrow the evil that was to take over this land. Though the pain that came along the way blinded my eyes from my walk, I, nevertheless, stayed true to that vow." Rakam lowered his sword from its combative position. "Have you stayed true to that vow?" echoed his words, almost as if a tunnel suddenly formed from the torrential rain that fell around them.

The Patriarch's expression was ambiguous; it held either the look of a realized truth or a realized madness. There was a silence between them as the flashes of lightning, fissures of thunder, and claps of rain resonated around them. Slowly, the strange look on the Patriarch's face transitioned to a look of melancholy that made Rakam feel slightly uneasy. This wasn't the reaction he expected the Patriarch to make.

"From the beginning," the Patriarch started," You were stronger than all of us."

Rakam's heart felt as if it leapt out of his chest as he heard him speak those words.

"We have the power and the position in the tribe, and Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf had their overwhelming cunning, but you had what none of us would ever be able to grasp: Courage."

"What are you saying?" Rakam asked, curious to know why he was suddenly talking the way he was.

"Deep in my heart, I knew that we did wrong against the oracle and against Hyrule, but I was too fearful of not following my brothers that I chose, instead, to do evil. For this, I understand now that I must pay the price of my sins." He suddenly smiled as his face slowly morphed from its current monstrous form into a more human form. "Win this fight and right our wrongs, Rakam."

Just as Rakam opened his mouth to question what he was planning to do, the Patriarch suddenly hoisted up his great blade and spun it around, decapitating his own head in a single swing. Rakam's eyes wore terror and confusion on them as he witnessed the suicide of the Patriarch. The body fell back to the ground, hitting it in tandem with his head. The blood of his body mixed with the flowing rainwater on the ground as it flowed out. More than ever, Rakam was lost for ideas of how to proceed next. One of his most hated foes had just reconciled with his own wrong and then suddenly brought justice upon himself, leaving Rakam with the job of dealing with the aftermath.

_'Win this fight and right our wrongs, Rakam.'_

Apprehensively, Rakam stepped away from the former battleground and onto the current battlefield.

Mikau had heard stories about Darmani's ordeal with Rakam and his former cohorts. According to the accounts of Link, they apparently manipulated his mind through the use of their strange magic craft to inflict some form of suffering on him. Link couldn't get the full story of what exactly went on, but Darmani's memories were somehow used against him to drive him into mental distress. Mikau wondered to himself as he stared down the levitating Patriarch if whether he was undergoing the same trial.

"Are you the nostalgic type?" the Patriarch said, continuing his condescendence.

Mikau only gave him a glare, not returning his question with an answer.

The Patriarch formed a staff from a strange energy. "Evidently not. I will tarry no longer then." A blue aura formed around the Patriarch, increasing at a rapid rate. The aura eventually formed individual spheres from its main body and launched them at Mikau. Mikau focused on the trajectory of the attack, waiting for the right moment to evade them. As soon as he found the moment, he exploited it, slipping through the devastation it left behind as it exploded on the floor where he stood. Mikau took stance as he recovered from his dodge, preparing a ranged attack with his fins.

"One must learn from the failures of the past to march on to future victories. Have you learned your failures?" the Patriarch taunted.

Mikau replied with an attack, rather than an answer, swinging his arms to release his fins. They arched outward before they converged on the Patriarch, but the Patriarch was anticipating the move, and moved slightly out of the way to avoid the attack. As one fin flew by him, he suddenly realized that he made a costly mistake, misjudging the timing of the attack. The other succeeding fin slammed the Patriarch's head, causing him to tumble forward in the air. Both fins returned to Mikau and reattached to him.

"You…changed the timing of your attack from the time you used it here against him," the recovering Patriarch said.

"That's what I thought," Mikau noted, half to himself and the other to the Patriarch.

"What do you mean?"

"You were blatantly copying Anodro's fighting style. Rather it was to undermine me or to show how much you know about my past, you can't defeat me like that," Mikau said, posing for another offensive.

"Okay then, let's see just how much you remember about yourself then!" The Patriarch suddenly descended on Mikau as his staff transformed into a sword. Mikau was caught by surprise by the sudden rush, expanding his fins for defensive purposes. The Patriarch began his offensive, overwhelming Mikau with a blur of strikes that were nearly too fast for Mikau to keep up with. As he defended with one fin expanded, he took his other arm and launched his non-defensive fin from him. It arched around the Patriarch and struck him again, this time in the back. He fell forward, losing his momentum. Mikau stepped back from him so he wouldn't be attacked by surprise.

Suddenly, the temple faded out from sight, as everything was replaced by darkness.

"You're much more potent than I thought you were," said the Patriarch as he got to his feet. "Zoras are indeed as collected as I've heard."

The darkness receded, revealing an all too familiar scene that he had only witnessed about a day earlier. They stood in the grand expanse of Northern Hyrule's frozen plains, the very place that they had warred with the Bulblin army before they became their allies. The Patriarch still stood before him, looking as if he was a wraith through the thick of the ice that fell.

"As I was informed, your kind doesn't take well to cold weather, is that correct?" the Patriarch asked as a large, ethereal axe formed in his hands.

"Will you mimic the Bulblins even to defeat me?" Mikau asked, sounding slightly disappointed at the Patriarch's tactic.

"The question is do you know how to fight one."

King Bulblin traversed the Battle Yard of the Castle with the countenance of an undefeatable juggernaut. His body was stained with the mud of the rain-softened ground and from sprays of felled blood. He wore a grim smile under his face guard, relishing in the carnage he caused. He blew through foe after foe as he attempted to recover his boar. As the King, he was to lead his army from his boar, riding high for his brothers to see. Finally he found it, bucking its tusk to ward off any nearby warriors. King Bulblin ran to it and immediately mounted it with ease, despite his heavy armor and large size. He gave the reigns of the boar a tight tug, causing it to stand up momentarily on its hind legs as it roared deeply, then it put its front feet to the ground and began to charge through the battlefield, running over anyone unfortunate enough not to stand clear. Like a mad berserker, King Bulblin indiscriminately downed every man that wore a black cloak. Some of them tried to attack the boar itself by disabling its legs, but the boar either knocked aside or impaled with his tusk anyone that tried such. Suddenly, ahead of King Bulblin, a large figure in a black robe appeared, riding a large, black lizard-like creature that ran on four legs. The size of the creature the man rode was just as big as King Bulblin's boar, if not, bigger. King Bulblin frowned intensely and prepared his sword to meet this new challenger. Clearly he rode in his direction for that sole purpose.

As they drew closer, King Bulblin yelled maniacally, raising his sword above his head. The challenger wielded an axe that seemed to be made of some strange intangible substance. He held it with one hand down at his side as he came upon King Bulblin. They met each other, clashing with each other's respective weapons. Neither of them lost balance as they passed by one another. King Bulblin rode a certain distance and then turned his boar about-face to take on the robed fighter once more. By now, King Bulblin was able to discern that this man was apparently a commander of some sort to the opposing army that his brothers and his allies fought. This fact brought more determination into King Bulblin's mind as he prepared to collide with him once again. The heavy beating of the boar's hooves on the wet and muddy ground went in unison with the pitter-patter of the lizard's feet. Everything outside of the zone of combat that he had engaged himself in cancelled out of his mind. Only victory was the primary focus. Even the sound of the battle around him and his foe became a non-factor as it slowly muffled itself until it was only recognized by his brain as a low murmur. The beat of the hooves, the tapping of the feet, the clanging of his armor, and the flowing of his foes robe were the only recognizable sounds to him. They were as loud as any cry of lightning he had ever heard. Finally, after what seemed like hours, they came within each other's kill zones. King Bulblin held out his sword to prepare a strike as the challenger held his axe high this time, compared to the stance he took during the last meet. As they started to cross paths, the robed warrior initiated his attack first, swinging up his axe at King Bulblin, providing him with only the choice of blocking the move, rather than to attack offensively. King Bulblin smirked as he swung his sword horizontally to attack his foe, rather than to block the attack. The two fighters instantaneously conversed with their weapons.

The streets of Castle town rested as the dead. The veil of rainfall turned the streets into miniature rivers as the water flowed through the town, trying to find a place to run. The windows were dark; not a single candlelit house was seen. Lightning silhouetted the grim figure known as the Supreme Patriarch as he waded through the watery streets. His plan had almost come full circle at this point. The Hero had gathered the three Spiritual Stones, the King and Viscen were dead; Hyrule Castle was under attack, and now they were on their way to obtaining the ultimate power: the Triforce. In light of all these accomplishments, the Supreme Patriarch found himself humming a sort of nocturne as he waded through the town. The explosions of thunder, the splashes of his steps in the watery streets, and the clapping of rain created an ensemble with the tune, assuring the Patriarchs that the Goddesses of the Hylians had now sided with him and his righteous design. As he walked on, a caravan suddenly approached him from behind and stopped near him. The Supreme Patriarch stopped and turned to it. A figure descended from it and approached him.

"Have you secured her, Eroraf?" the Patriarch asked.

"We have, Grandfather," answered Eroraf.

The Supreme Patriarch nodded as he walked to the caravan. "Good, we shall make our dreams into a reality now."

"Surely we will," Eroraf added as he entered the caravan with the Supreme Patriarch. As soon as they were inside, the horses that led the caravan started off and led the caravan swiftly through the town.


	65. Chapter 63: Debitum Naturae

**Chapter 63: Debitum Naturae**

~~~The would-be sharp sound of hooves beating against the earth was muffled by the water and mud that replaced the solid ground of Hyrule Field. The Supreme Patriarch's caravan rolled through the strange night at exceptional speed, headed south towards the Lost Woods. Inside the caravan, The Supreme Patriarch sat on a bench that faced the front of the caravan while Uryan sat on the bench to the left of the caravan and Nid and Eroraf sat on the bench to the right. Zelda lay in an unconscious state on the remaining space of the bench that Uryan sat on. She was unharmed and apparently was placed on the bench with seemingly meticulous care.

"After all of this time, we have finally reached the pinnacle of our goal," said the Supreme Patriarch, so silently that it almost seemed like he was saying it to himself.

"We still have Hyrule's Hero to deal with, though," added Eroraf.

"We don't have to worry about that, Eroraf," started the Supreme Patriarch, "Though he holds the title of 'Hero', he will not be able to overcome us. We are more than a match for him and not only that, but Hyrule's Goddesses have abandoned them already." The Patriarch reached up to his mask and pulled it from his face. He sat it down on the bench beside him. His hood still draped over his face however, masking his identity in darkness. His mouth was slightly visible; it looked as if it was the mouth of a demon, bearing sharp, carnivorous teeth. "We will be given the Triforce and establish our new dominion starting tonight."

"No one in Hyrule's history has ever actually seen the Triforce firsthand. There's no telling what will happen once we find it. Are you prepared for this fully, Grandfather?" asked Uryan.

The Supreme Patriarch looked up at Uryan. A glinting red light softly emitted from under his hood. "I would not have driven us to this measure had I second thoughts." The Patriarch remained focused on Uryan. "Have you any convictions?"

"Actually," began Uryan, "Yes, I do."

The Supreme Patriarch straightened his posture in a sort of surprise. Suddenly, Eroraf came upon him and stabbed him through his torso with his sword he materialized only less than a second earlier. The Supreme Patriarch gasped and then coughed, spraying blood from his mouth.

Uryan stood up from his seat and stood directly before the betrayed Patriarch. "You will not be the one to inherit the new Kingdom."

Eroraf unsheathed his sword from the Supreme Patriarch's body, allowing more blood to flow. The Supreme Patriarch fell from his bench to his knees, holding his bleeding wound with one hand and holding the weight of his body up with the other. "When did you gain such power?" he asked with a surprised tone that seemed to stem more from the fact that he was deceived than the fact that he was taken by surprise.

"We've always been stronger," said Eroraf, "But it was more beneficial to play our pre-written roles first before we made our move, rather than to try to act too soon."

The Supreme Patriarch chuckled slightly, in between bloody coughs. "I should have known that this would be my fate for betraying the oracle. Even in his death, he continues to hinder me."

"What did you expect?" asked Nid. "You tried to use others to gain your own means. You made others accomplish the means for you to reach your own end and that was your mistake."

The Supreme Patriarch managed to raise himself from his knees and struggled to his feet. He stood limply as his blood continued to leak down his once-dignified robe. "With this very act, the oracle's last prophecy will now begin to fulfill itself."

Uryan stepped toward him. "What do you mean? The prophecy about Hyrule's future?"

The Supreme Patriarch shook his head. "Before I killed him, he told me that our tribe would be destroyed from the inside and cursed to a never-ending darkness in which we will lose our will to live." A loud boom of thunder shook the caravan as he said those words. Suddenly, he fell once again to his knees, losing his strength to stand.

Eroraf brought his ghostly sword to the Supreme Patriarch's head. "Take the oracle's prophecy with you to the grave." Following his words, Eroraf thrusts the sword through the Supreme Patriarch's head. The Supreme Patriarch's body jerked sharply before it became limp. Eroraf pulled the sword from his head and the body of the tribe's Grandfather fell to the caravan floor.

With the help of Iyuga's last-second rescue, Medi did not fall to her death, despite her worst fears. He pulled her back to the top of the bridge, using one of his chains connected to side of the bridge.

"Medi," he said.

She made eye-contact with him upon his calling.

"These men are very unusual. Don't expect to be able to kill them by normal means."

"I know," she said, looking up to the bridge that they were ascending to. "The one I'm fighting seems to have some kind of veil over themselves, keeping me from seeing clearly why I can't kill him."

The reached the top of the bridge and both of them climbed onto it, finding themselves in the presence of the two opposing Patriarchs once again. Iyuga looked to Medi briefly and said, "Remember not to go to far."

Medi nodded with a slight smirk "I know."

Iyuga charged off at the Patriarch with the chains to battle him once again. In full stride, Iyuga leaped at him and spun around, twirling his chains as he careened towards the Patriarch. At the moment of contact, the Patriarch surprised Iyuga by grabbing his chain, abruptly nullifying his intended attack. Iyuga retaliated, launching his other chain from his other arm out and hitting the Patriarch firmly in the head. The Patriarch lost his balance and fell to the ground. Iyuga retracted both of his chains and took advantage of the Patriarch's moment of weakness, tossing a group of needles at him. The Patriarch quickly reacted, knocking the needles away with a chain, but as soon as he had repelled the attack, he suddenly noticed that Iyuga was immediately upon him. The needles were a mere diversion. Iyuga stabbed the Patriarch with a needle in one hand, thrusting it right through a hole in his enigmatic steel mask. Blood spewed out upon contact. The Patriarch screamed distressingly as Iyuga quickly withdrew the needle from his face and retreated away from the writhing Patriarch.

Suddenly, a loud thundering boom crashed through the air. It wasn't thunder; something more ominous had occurred. It sounded again, causing the bridge to vibrate violently. The battleground slowed to a halt as everyone looked up to see what was taking place. As Iyuga looked up, he noticed something strange about the moon. Its light was growing brighter and brighter. It grew so radiant that it surpassed even the power of the sun, and soon, it became bright enough to blind everyone, no matter if they looked or not. Then again, the noisome explosion of sound erupted again, followed by the wind blowing violently towards the sky. Accompanying the noise and wind, the blinding light suddenly and forcefully receded, leaving in its wake a dark and stormy night in which the light of the moon was scarcely seen through the stormy sky, compared to a few moments earlier when the moon gave off its unnatural and haunting light. Iyuga looked down to the Patriarch that lay on the ground, silhouetted sharply by the faint light of the moon.

"What happened to the sky just now?" Iyuga asked the recovering Patriarch.

The Patriarch got to his feet, though he held his mask-covered face with his hand as a reflex to the wound given to him by Iyuga. "I don't believe it…"

Iyuga was confused by what he said. "What don't you believe? That you're wounded?"

"The Supreme Patriarch was the one responsible for empowering the moon for our benefit." The Supreme Patriarch looked at the hand he used to stop Iyuga's chain earlier. It was bleeding liberally as a result of the action.

Iyuga took note of his unhealed hand. "I see. The moonlight amplified your powers almost to that of some sort of deity. But now that the moonlight is gone, so is your extreme power."

"That's not my worry," the Patriarch frankly said. "The only reason the Supreme Patriarch would release his spell on the moon is if we had already won or --."

"If he was dead," finished Iyuga. "Am I right?"

The Patriach was silent.

Iyuga narrowed his eyes at him. "Of course I'm right…" He immediately engaged the Patriarch with an extended chain and swung at him. The Patriarch blocked the attack and launched his own at Iyuga. Iyuga suddenly disappeared from his sight as the chain came close to him. The Patriarch was alarmed at Iyuga's sudden evasion. Immediately upon disappearing, Iyuga reappeared behind the Patriarch and seized his arms, rendering him unable to retaliate to Iyuga's actions. Quickly following up the hold, Iyuga used his free hand, holding a needle with it, to stab the Patriarch in the abdomen. The Patriarch yelled loudly and monstrously as the action was done. Iyuga pulled out the needle and stabbed it straight through a hole in the Patriarch's mask, causing him to cease his screaming as he jerked his body from the blow. After a few seconds passed, Iyuga yanked the needle from the Patriarch's twice-stabbed face. Lightning flickered through the dark sky, intensifying the horrifying image of the ailing Patriarch. Iyuga slowly backed away from the Patriarch as he merely stood still. The rushing downpour of rain washed the blood out of his mask. "Hyrule is lost…" uttered the Patriarch, and then he collapsed onto the watery floor of the stone bridge.

Iyuga shook the loose blood and rain droplets from his needle and then placed it back with the rest of his needles. "If the Supreme Patriarch is dead, then they truly have lost Hyrule,"

Medi stood just out of the Patriarch's range of attack. She made a conscious effort to expose herself less to the powerful attacks of the Patriarch's hammer. Since she confronted him after they returned to the bridge top, they had been at a stand still. Now with the moonlight having returned to normal, barely piercing through the dark clouds, the stand still took on a tense and ominous tone.

"What happened to the moon?" Medi suddenly asked, breaking the long silence.

"To much surprise, it seems that the Supreme Patriarch has met his demise," the Patriarch said in his deep tone, though it seemed that his guess did not bother him in the slightest.

"Your ruler is dead?" Medi asked, taking more surprise than the Patriarch seemed to.

"This task with saving Hyrule from itself," started the Patriarch, "It has been a mission full of deceit, death, and doubt. As you have witnessed yourself, there has been a slew of deception running rampant in our tribe. Everyone seems to be at each other's back to be the one to obtain the power of the Triforce and rule for himself. To make our plans reach completion, we've had to murder, one after the next, no matter what the involvement of the victim was. As a result of these two things, there have been thoughts of doubt among all of us as to whether our mission is as righteous as Supreme Patriarch insist it is or not." The Patriarch rested the head of his hammer on the ground. "At the root of it all, the Supreme Patriarch's intentions were not pure at all. If he wanted to save Hyrule, then the Goddesses would have spared him, but he wanted to have the Triforce for himself, and that is why I believe he is dead."

Medi was unnerved at how easily he had dismissed the Supreme Patriarch's deed. Earlier, he seemed to be wholly committed to the mission of his tribe. "What are you going to do now then?" she asked, hoping that he planned to retreat.

"Though the Supreme Patriarch had his own ambitions, I will continue in his place what we must do for Hyrule." The Patriarch lifted his hammer head up and held his weapon with both hands, preparing to fight once again.

"Then I will continue to stop you!" Medi darted off at him, holding her Kodachi at ready to attack him. The Patriarch twisted around and swung his hammer at her horizontally. Medi slid on the water-drenched ground, sliding under the imminent attack. She brandished her Kodachi, slashing his legs as she passed under and behind him. The Patriarch grunted and kneeled to the ground in reaction to the wounds. Medi got to her feet and turned to him again. She approached him again from behind to do the finishing blow. To her surprise, the Patriarch slid the long handle of his hammer behind him and struck Medi with it, knocking her back. She rolled on the ground before coming to a stop. The Patriarch slowly stood to his pained feet and turned to her. Thunder roared loudly, creating a form of psychological terror in Medi's mind as she watched the darkly Patriarch turn on her. Medi struggled to her feet again, holding the area she was hit with her free hand. The Patriarch quickly initiated an attack, swinging horizontally at Medi. She jumped back, just out of the reach of the hammer. The Patriarch continued the momentum of his swing, bringing it behind him to swing his hammer down on her. Just before he began the second part of his attack, he was stopped by Iyuga, who struck a certain part of his torso with a needle in hand. The Patriarch screamed loudly at the blow, dropping his hammer behind him. Iyuga followed up the initial strike by stabbing the Patriarch in the throat and immediately yanking it out, allowing a wealth of blood to spray forth.

The Patriarch stumbled back, losing his strength to stand from his fatal wounds. He fell to his knees and then he slumped to the side, falling to the ground as dead.

"Medi, are you hurt badly?" Iyuga asked, looking to her.

"No, I'm fine," she said, "I'm glad that you came when you did though."

Iyuga nodded. "The rest of their fighters will be here soon, so prepare!"

Castle Town was ominously dark without the strange moonlight that once permeated the air. Link ran through the flooding streets of Castle Town, trying to find a stable to ride a horse out of town with. Even though he survived his predicted death at the Temple of Time, he still knew that the worst had yet to arrive. He was even more worried about the fact that the moon was no longer as it was. The Supreme Patriarch was directly responsible, at least to his knowledge, for the moon being the way it was until now. The fact that the moon was normal now opened up many disturbing new possibilities as to the true situation that Hyrule faced.

As he walked, he made it to the South Side gate of Castle Town. The guards that would have once occupied the gate were no longer present, leaving the gate wide open. Link found a nearby stable of Castle Guard horses that patrols would usually ride on during the day. He quickly found a horse and put a mount on his back. He got on and guided it out of the stable and out into Hyrule field through the gate.


	66. Author's Note: Upcoming Content

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Hello again, readers! We have reached the point at which I have written my latest chapter for the story. From this point on, you will have to wait patiently for subsequent chapters to appear, as I am still writting them. To make things interesting though, I will be releasing "extras" for the story. These extras will include things like interesting facts about the story or the fiction itself.

Once again, thanks to all who have stuck with the story up to this point. I know it's long, but it has been well worth the read up until now, hasn't it? Well, see you on the next A.N.!


	67. Extra: Chain of Command

**Chain of Command**

**Lowest Rank**: Castle Town Guards, Jurisdiction: Keeping peace and defending Castle Town in times of War. Command: N/A

**Sixth Rank**: Courtyard Guards, Jurisdiction: Defending Castle Courtyards. Command: N/A

**Fifth Rank**: Castle Guards, Jurisdiction: Defending the Castle and Nobles of Hyrule. Command: N/A

**Fourth Rank**: Hylian Soldiers, Jurisdiction: Defending the Kingdom of Hyrule in times of War. Command: Castle Guards, Courtyard Guards, Castle Town Guards.

**Third Rank**: Knights of Hyrule, Jurisdiction: Defending the Kingdom of Hyrule in times of War, defending the King. Command: Hylian Soldiers, Castle Guard, Courtyard Guards, Castle Town Guards.

**Second Rank**: General, Jurisdiction: Defending the Kingdom of Hyrule in times of War, defending the King. Command: Knights of Hyrule.

And that's how it goes!


	68. Extra: Critical Acclaim about the Fused

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Hello again! This extra contains quotes from the things that people have said about this fiction. The comments go back as far as a year ago and they come from a variety of people from different sites around the web. Even some of you who have reviewed the story on here have a place on here. If you don't feel comfortable being quoted in this extra, then let me know and I'll take you off the list.

Anyway, enjoy the extra!

* * *

**Critical Acclaim about the Fused Shadow**

**"I really like this fic! Keep up the good work!;)"** ~Ammy in the first version of the Fused Shadow on Nsider2, giving her first impressions.  
**"…and I have to say, I like how the plot is progressing!"** ~Ammy in the second version of the Fused Shadow on Nsider2, after she had caught up with reading.  
**"WOot! Now I can read it here! I love this fic! Please keep updating."** ~Ammy in a version of this fiction on Fentendo Forums, commenting on the fiction's appearance.  
**"I like how you're wrapping things up, I'm glad you wrote this fan fiction."** ~Ammy in the second version of the Fused Shadow on Nsider2, commenting on the approaching end of this fiction.

**"Great fic. Not the best I've read (don't take it personally) but still very good so far I'm really interested in how this is going to continue."** ~Yacob14, giving his first impressions in the second version of the Fused Shadow on Nsider2 when it first started.  
**"This is definitely going somewhere good:) I liked all the action as well."** ~Yacob14 in the second version of the Fused Shadow on Nsider2, concerning the story's progression.

**"…so far, a very good fic."** ~ZORAPRIME, giving his first impressions in the second version of the Fused Shadow Nsider2 when it first started, concerning his first impressions.

**"…Well, keep this good work up!"** ~POKEMON_DUDE3 in the second version of the Fused Shadow on Nsider2, concerning his first impressions.  
**"It's the kind of story that looks professional… It's simply a story that can keep someone reading it for hours on end."** ~POKEMON_DUDE3 in Fan Fiction of the Week (FFotW) on Nsider 2, giving his judging comments.

**"…In any case, keep going, boy, you're doing real well!"** ~Joethebrave0 in the second version of the Fused Shadow on Nsider2, concerning his first impressions.  
**"Well, that was intriguing, to say the very least. I'm still hooked, keep it coming!"** ~Joethebrave0 in the second version of the Fused Shadow on Nsider2, giving his thoughts.  
**"In any case, the web of deception, intrigue, and action you've woven is riddled with the mark of true artistry."** ~Joethebrave0 in FFotW on Nsider2, giving his judging comments.

**"…Good work."** ~Meteo63 in the second version of the Fused Shadow on Nsider2, giving his thoughts.

**"BMT describes everything with good detail and depth, making his world feel very heavy and real… Another impressive read."** ~Psychopickle, giving his judging comments in FFotW on Nsider2.

**"I have found your legendary fan fic.......which I have to say, it's pretty good."** ~COMMANDOTOAD in the second version of the Fused Shadow on Nsider2, concerning his first impressions.

**"I just started and finished this in about 1 hour, it was magificent, keep up the great work, 5 stars!"** ~Mysterio… in the second version of the Fused Shadow on Nsider2, giving his first impressions.

**"Awesome fan-fic!! Please continue! I love it!"** ~Marios, a MOD on Fentendo Forums, giving his first impressions.

**"A very excellent fic, BEASTMASTERTOAD."** ~Narkloth the Dark, giving his first impressions on Fentendo Forums.

**"Your fan-fic is rather decent, probably slightly above average. The way you write is nice and the characters are well-done..."** ~MEWTWOTRAINERX, giving his first impressions in the second version of the Fused Shadow on Nsider2.  
**"Your writing has gotten better recently..."** ~MEWTWOTRAINERX, giving his thoughts in the second version of the Fused Shadow on Nsider2.

**"This is truly an excellent story; it reminds me so much of the real Legend of Zelda and it's ever-loved mysterious nature... The way you write is also shamelessly mature, and the grammar, for the most part, is very good. Plus your characters' dialogue is so masterfully rendered that it sounds so fluid and like a real Medieval group of individuals. The "Old English" is also very well done... All in all, you have a very good portrayal of how things could have transpired in the time preceding OoT and TP... So good job, BMT! Your "fan-fic of the week" award (despite what my final criticism up there may have led you to believe I'd say) was well deserved indeed, and I can't wait for the next chapter, and eventually the finale! "** ~Seasona, giving his first impressions in the second version of the Fused Shadow on Nsider2.

**"It is all that great."** ~Twilit_Nsider, giving his first impressions on the Hyrule Field (board) version of the Fused Shadow on Nsider2.

**"Pretty, good i enjoyed reading it "** ~Leon Kennedy, giving his first impressions in the second version of the Fused Shadow on Nsider2.

**"Brilliant, good work. I read it at the website. I love this stuff. Continue it and I hope more people read it."** ~*Dark~Angel*, giving her first impressions in the Zelda-Infinite Forums version of the Fused Shadow.  
**"I should be the one to thank you for such a brilliant fanfic. Did you write it? It took me a few hours to read, I'm re-reading it because it was so good w"** *Dark~Angel*, responding to me in the Zelda-Infinite Forums version of the Fused Shadow.

**"its amazing. in other words, good job!"** ~Sephiroth, giving his first impressions in the Zelda-Infinite Forums version of the Fused Shadow.

**"Great Job, I love your Work."** ~Yoshiman26, commenting on the Fused Shadow for the Nsider2 Newspaper.  
**"Anyone as devoted to you to writing deserves to have it published where everyone will see it."** ~Yoshiman26, commenting on the Fused Shadow for the Nsider2 Newspaper.

**"Really good"** ~the follower of darkness, giving his first impressions in the Zelda-Infinite Forums version of the Fused Shadow.

**"...I'll be waiting for your next chapter update. Great story so far ^^/"** ~Redsilent, commenting on a chapter of the story on Fan Fiction. net.

**"Eek!! This story is good! I am going to keep reading this..."** ~Eclipse Storywriter, giving her first impressions on this story on Fan Fiction. net.

**"Okay, I've been reading this story for a while, and I've got to say it's really good. It's kept me on the edge of my seat for all these chapters and I like how you stick to the story and not wander off into to uncharted territory yet build on the legend of the Fused Shadows from the game. Love the involvement with Mikau and Darmani a lot too. And the twist you added with Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf betraying them is awsome. I knew those guys were bad apples! It's sad to think that it's almost over, but its still an amazing story. Keep up the good work!"** ~StormWolf9, giving her first impressions on this story on Fan Fiction. net.


	69. Chapter 64: Progress

**Chapter 64: Progress**

~~~Darmani and the Patriarch he fought stood at a distance from each other, trying to recover some of the energy that had left them throughout their intense fighting. Every since the moonlight had faded, Darmani noticed that the strength and speed of the Patriarch had waned. The Patriarch was struggling to keep up with the iron determination of Darmani's fighting spirit.

As they rested, the Patriarch suddenly pounded one of his fists into the ground, creating a strange wave of energy that quickly expanded from the point of the strike. Before Darmani could react, the wave slammed into him, throwing him off his feet. The Patriarch did not allow Darmani's momentary defenselessness slip by him; he quickly closed the distance between them and formed a club with his hands and brought it down on Darmani. In quick wit, Darmani used the Patriarch's momentary vulnerability during the execution of his attack to throw a swift punch, hitting him in the face before he finished his own attack.

Darmani quickly got off his back and tackled the Patriarch to the ground. The Patriarch struggled to get from under Darmani's impressive weight, but Darmani did not allow him to do so, as he grabbed his arms and pinned them down, while using the rest of his body to disable the Patriarch's movement of his legs and hips. Darmani lifted his head back and then violently brought it down, slamming it into the Patriarch's head. The Patriarch cried out in pain and struggled even more to move, but Darmani firmly gripped his arms and pulled both of them towards him, dislocating them from their sockets. Yells of agony continued from the Patriarch's mouth as his arms lay limply at his sides. With a barbaric shout, Darmani delivered the coup de grace to the Patriarch, hammering the Patriarch's head with a single swing of his fist.

After a long and arduous fight, Darmani finally claimed his victory. Though he had won, he knew that the battle was yet to be over. As long as they could hold out until Link had finished his duty, they would be victorious.

Eight days ago, Link left Castle Town for the Lost Woods on that fateful morning. In caravans, they traveled the very same road he did now to get there. He knew so little about what he was getting himself into at that time. He could not have know that he would be the Chosen Hero, become the host of a darker entity of himself, discover his past, fight through armies of Bulblins, or witness so much treachery and sadness. Many people had lost their lives throughout the short time that they had been on this journey. The Kokiri that lost their lives to Anodro, the Gorons who died to protect their mountain from Dogoro's uprising, the tragic brothers of Rakam, Impa, and many others who were dying at Hyrule Castle to protect the Kingdom. All of the death and the pain that the Kingdom felt were caused by the greed of depraved souls who would stop at nothing to get what they desire. Link had to defeat the Supreme Patriarch and the three if those lives that had been lost were not to be lost in vain.

After a while of riding, Link finally came upon the edge of the ominous Lost Woods. Though a veil of fog no longer laced the forest floor as it once did, the sheer darkness of the night looked to prove much more potent as an agent of vertigo than any amount of fog could hope to be. Once he came within the limits of the forest, Link dismounted his borrowed horse and tied the reigns to a nearby tree. The last thing he needed was for his ride to abandon him when he might need it the most. The forest ambience consisted of the collectively loud sounds of millions of raindrops pounding tree leaves and various other forest organisms. Though the sounds surrounded his sense of hearing, his sense of sight was left without stimulation as he tried to break his line-of-sight beyond the small area around him that was softly lit by the dim moonlight that pierced dully through the clouds. Link searched the horse's saddle to see if perhaps a lantern was left on it by whatever patrol guard commanded the steed. Despite his hopes, he wasn't so lucky to find one.

_"Chosen Hero,"_ called out the familiar voice that spoke to Link in the Temple of Time.

Link scanned hopelessly through the night as he tried to locate the source of the voice.

_"The righteous light of the Master Blade will guide thee through this night. Waste no time in making thy way."_

Without question, Link obeyed the Light Spirit, drawing the Master Sword. To his surprise, the Sword produced its own radiant light, illuminating his environment. With nothing else impeding him, he walked into the deep forest that would hold the fate of the Kingdom.

Link had no idea how he was going to find the Ruined Temple in the Lost Woods at night. The fireflies that he was told usually inhabited the forest did not flit about now. He was sure that somehow, the evil that loomed over the Kingdom at this time had its hand in that. There were so many unanswered questions that Link had about what he was walking into. He didn't know why they came here instead of doing what they planned to do at the Temple of Time. His dream depicted their conflict being at the Temple of Time, but only Dark Link was fought there. And though he knew that Zelda was being used as some kind of bargaining chip, he still had no idea what else they were going to use her – or him for.

As Link continued on, he caught sight of a strange light that seemed to move around in a dancing pattern. As he moved closer, he could hear a faint song being played by a flute. Instantly, he recognized who it was: Fado. But the question was, why was here there? Link moved faster towards the dancing lights until he made it to the clearing that they were in. Dozens of fireflies circled around a tree stump that Fado stood upon as he played his flute. The song he played added a mysterious nature to his countenance.

"Fado, what are you doing here?" Link asked.

Fado stopped his tune upon hearing the question and he lowered the flute from his mouth. "I was informed to meet you here."

"By who?"

"The Goddesses," he said. His eyes appeared to be more aged than the last time the met; it was as if he had already been through a lifetime of experiences. "I am tasked with guiding you to the Temple through the woods. Even though the fog is gone, the darkness is still too much for you to find it on your own."

"Won't you become what you were by being out here?" Link asked with concern.

Fado shook his head. "Much has happened to me since you left. I will explain it to you after this is all done, but for now, let's focus on what needs to be done."

Link nodded in agreement. Fado leaped off the stump and began walking into the woods as the fireflies and his fairy circled around him, lighting the path. Link followed behind him.

"Fado," Link asked, "Are the Kokiri and the Deku Tree safe?"

"They are," he replied. "Those men don't seek to harm us. They have their business with the ancient Temple that you and your allies visited to defeat the evil that occupied the Temple prior to them."

"Speaking of the Temple," Link started, "Do you have any idea what that Temple was built for or what they want to do there?"

"That temple was built centuries ago for a single purpose: to provide a sanctuary for the Triforce."

Link gasped. "The Triforce?"

Fado nodded. "The Triforce was in a physical form long ago before an evil man tried to claim it for himself. In response to this, the Goddesses decided to take the Triforce from the physical world and hide it within a new realm, the Sacred Realm. But sooner than later, evil found a way to enter this Sacred Realm and take it. But luckily, the secret as to how to reach the Triforce was sealed away with the one who knew."

"Sealed away?" Link asked.

"Yes. There is another sword in existence with a power similar to the Master Sword you hold, but the Royal Family made sure to hide it from the world, fearing that the evil locked inside of it would be unleashed upon the world if someone ever drew it again. Because the people knew that the Hero had used a special sword to defeat the evil, the Royal Family had to find away to give the people the pleasure of viewing the sword without fear of it being drawn.

"That's when the sages of the time received from the Goddesses the Master Sword. The Master Sword was to replace the original blade as the new Sword of the Hero. Using the new opportunity they had, the Royal Family presented to the people the Master Sword as the blade that the Hero used to destroy the evil of the land. To honor the Blade, the people, with the guidance of the sages, built the Temple of Time to enshrine the Master Sword, whom the people thought to have vanquished the evil.

"With the evil gone and the knowledge of obtaining the Triforce with it, it seemed as if the Triforce would never again be touched by a greedy heart." Fado stopped walking. "But no one could have known that another party would rise that could discover the secret."

"You mean Uryan and his tribe," said Link in a serious tone.

Fado turned to Link. "I'm sure you've put the clues together by now about why they are there."

Link nodded. "The Temple is the one place where they can reach the Triforce."

"Exactly," Fado said, as he turned around and began walking again.

"But wait!" Link said in sudden revelation, "If that is where the Triforce is, why didn't they try to get it the first time we went there?"

Fado was silent for a moment before he answered, "They were lacking something that they have only just now obtained, apparently."

"Do you know what it is?"

"No, I don't. One possibility could be that they plan to use Zelda as some kind of gateway to the Triforce, similar to how the legends tell of how the evil wizard of the past tried to use the Princess of that time." Fado's head fell a little. "But if that is the case, then we would be too late."

"Somehow," Link began, "I don't think the want to use Zelda, at least directly, anyway."

"Why do you think so?"

"When they took Zelda back at the Temple of Time, they invited me to come to the Temple if I wanted Zelda back from them."

"If that is what they said, then you should be cautious of what happens. From what it sounds like, they are going to need both of you to do whatever they have in mind to reach the Triforce."

Ahead of them, they spotted the aged walls that guarded the Ruined Temple. Fado and Link approached the gate to the Temple's courtyard. Eight days ago, Link remembered walking through the fogged courtyard on the way to defeating Anodro. He didn't think that the journey would bring him back to this place, much less in such a life or death manner. Hyrule's fate stood just ahead.

"Link," Fado said, "Please understand that I cannot follow you to your fight."

Link smiled lightly at him. "I know." He began walking through the gate before he stopped again and looked back to Fado. "How about a celebration when we finish this?"

Fado smiled. "I was just going over what song I would play when it happens." His smile subsided. "Stay strong." Upon finishing his words, the fireflies and his fairy faded out of sight along with him.

Link faced the dark courtyard and walked on.

King Bulblin flew off of his boar with tremendous force and hit the muddy ground hard. He still held on to his blade, despite being demounted. He suffered a great wound from the Patriarch's axe, leaving a bloody slash riding up his torso. His armor was completely torn, becoming a useless burden. King Bulblin struggled to sit up to see what happened to his opponent. As he scanned around through the many warriors that fought, he caught a glimpse of the Patriarch's reptilian mount, running through the battle without its rider. King Bulblin smirked at the fact that his opponent lay on the ground somewhere, suffering as much as he did. King Bulblin suddenly got to his feet, despite the pain he felt, and prepared to wade through the bloody combat, in search of his foe. He was happy to see first hand the determination of his loyal men, as they resolved to defend him, as he passed through, from the opposition. While he was able to fight, he was in no shape to push him for too much longer, especially if the Patriarch was not yet dead.

After a few minutes of searching, he finally found what he was looking for. The Patriarch lay on the ground with his body nearly cut into two. His once shinning mask was tainted by his blood and the ground's mud. Suddenly, he heard one of his men yell out a cry of warning. He quickly looked around to see what the problem was. Upon the outer walls of the Castle, he saw a legion of humans running and leaping swiftly along the wall, while some of them jumped from the wall and into their battle.

_"Hmm… the Sheikah have come to help. If all is well on the upper levels of the Castle, then we have won this fight."_

King Bulblin stood tall and yelled out, in their Bulblin language, a warning to his men, informing them that the coming army was the Sheikahs, their allies.

The General and the Patriarch stood without moving as their lances touched. The moonlight that was once so bright and unnatural had suddenly subsided with a loud fanfare while they continued their standoff. The strange space that they were in allowed them room to fight without any unwanted interruptions from any outside forces. Even the rain had no effect on where they were. The General knew full well that when their duel commenced, the first to hesitate would be dead.

Suddenly, the General broke the stand still, as he pulled back his lance quickly and made a thrust for the Patriarch. The Patriarch reacted by bringing his lance down on the General's, pinning it to the ground. The General moved forward to the Patriarch, sliding his lance from out of submission to attack again. The Patriarch jumped out of range of the General's attack, and posted up again. It seemed as if he planned on defending the whole fight, until he found away to exploit a moment of weakness in one of the General's attacks.

The General closed the distance again, this time swinging his lance horizontally. The Patriarch ducked from the powerful swing and used his own lance to thrust at the General, who could not block the attack. In quick wit, the General pivoted his body, with the momentum he built up with his swing, and dodged the lance's point, as it scraped his red armor. Continuing his motion, he brought his lance around for another swing, this time, successfully landing a hit to the Patriarch's head, knocking him to the ground. Quickly following up, the General went to the downed Patriarch and pushed his lance at him. The lance sunk into the Patriarch's body, moving through until it hit the stone floor on the other side. To his surprise, the Patriarch retaliated, thrusting his lance at the General, causing the General to let go of his own lance to dodge the unforeseen attack. The General unsheathed his rapier and went for the Patriarch again, stabbing where his heart was. The Patriarch attempted to strike again, but his grip on the lance died, and the weapon fell to the ground beside him.

"Uh… Well…fought…" the Patriarch uttered before he exhaled his last and his head fell back.

As quickly as the Patriarch died, the strange quiet that smothered the area suddenly gave in to the loud clamor of raindrops, thunder, and the shouting of warfare. The General had been standing off with the Patriarch for so long, that he was unsure how much of the night had passed since the fighting began. He knew that they must have had an edge on their enemy if the strange moonlight had faded. He wasn't quite sure, but he had a guess that the moonlight was connected to the strength of the Ranul's army. Nevertheless, they needed to continue the fight as long as they had to. Until surrender, routing, or utter defeat, he and his Castle Guard had to continue the fight. The General retrieved his lance from the dead Patriarch and walked back to the battle.


	70. Chapter 65: Gateway

**Chapter 65: Gateway**

~~~Unlike the first time that he was there, the courtyard of the Temple was not filled with a chilling fog and an unnatural light source. Only the area around him lit by the Master Sword was visible. He passed through the darkness of the dead courtyard without incident and approached the weathered steps that led into the Temple. As he began his descent up the staircase, a memory of what Fado once was came to mind.

_~~~"Where are you going now?" asked Link._

_The Skull Kid paused._

_"Why are you leaving us now?" Link asked._

_"I have led you to the Darkness, now I am not needed."_

_"But didn't you tell me that you were no longer afraid to fight?"_

_The Skull Kid paused._

_"Just sitting around isn't going to make things better! You have to take action if you truly want something!" Link stated._

_The Skull Kid began to shudder._

_"I just don't want to become like the rest of my friends!"~~~_

He found it almost unreal that, not too long ago, Fado was nothing more than a cowardly Skull Kid, lost in his own fear. Seeing him now, would make it hard for anyone to believe that such a dramatic transformation occurred like that without some supernatural aid.

When he made it to the top of the steps, Link walked to the large stone doors that led into the unknown. From beyond there, the fight would end, for his sake or for their sakes.

_'When the time comes for you to make that decision of life or death, make the choice for the happiness of the Kingdom and those around you.'_

He pushed on the stone doors and forced them open and then walked in. The depressing interior of the chapel was even more terrifying than it previously was now that the visibility was nearly zero because of the overcoming darkness. He followed the path laid before him by the blue and gold carpet.

_'There is a strong evil will within this place…'_

Every step he took seemed like a loud explosion of thunder in the overwhelming quiet that smothered the atmosphere of the Temple. Though it seemed that they needed him to complete their plan, he had no way of knowing if whether a death trap awaited him ahead. The combination of darkness and silence had him on edge.

Finally, he made it to the staircase. The last time he was here, the event that changed him happened. It was here that he became one with his dark self. Not wanting to spend more time, he ran up the staircase, not wanting to risk taking too long only to find that the worst had happened to Zelda. It appeared to be hours before Link finally made it over the last step and into the space before the final room.

_'Approach cautiously; the source of the evil is just beyond this door…'_

Link stepped carefully to the door that stood between him and his mortal foes; and the one that need him most. He put his hand on the door's surface with caution and, with a slight moment of hesitation, he pushed it open.

The seconds that passed as Link stepped through the threshold seemed like minutes. As the door swung open for his entry, Link slowly, but surely made out the figures of his enemies: Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf.

_'Venture to that place and go to the place of Anodro's death. You will discover our terms there.'_

As he looked around, he suddenly found Zelda, hanging in mid-air in the middle of the room by some unknown force. Link stood in the door way for a brief moment, expecting a response from them, but they said nothing. He began walking into the room, keeping his guard up for anything that they might try. A few steps in, he noticed a horrific sight; Anodro's body still lay on the floor from eight days ago. Not much of him could be seen under the ragged and dirty robe he wore, but his hands that were lying away from his body were shriveled and showing signs of decomposition. He had forgotten that they left him there after the battle.

"In eight days, even the dead can change," Nid remarked, breaking the extremely tense silence.

Link looked over to them. "What do you want from me?"

"You're as frank as usual, Link," Uryan said, as he stepped forward.

As Link focused on Uryan as he stepped forward, he noticed a startling detail about his appearance that he failed to notice before: on his head was the complete form of the Fused Shadow. The Link slightly winced as he thought of the painful emotions that he remembered feeling the last time he came close to a piece of the Fused Shadow. Strangely enough though, he felt none of the madness that he once did.

_'Be at ease, Hero. Our might is with thee. Thou shalt prevail this night.'_

Uryan stopped right under Zelda's floating body. "I will be frank with you as well; we need you."

Link gasped as he almost lost breath in his lungs.

_'Do not be…fooled… They still need you,'_

Impa's parting advice was well-founded, but now the question was, what will happen to him?

Link unbuckled his shield and prepared for an attack. "What are you planning?"

"I have to say that our plan has worked out exactly as we'd hoped," began Eroraf, "You and the rest of your allies really had no idea that all of you were indeed pawns who had no control of their fates."

Link gave a confused look to him.

"None of you realized that you were doing all of the work for us. Think about it Link; why didn't we work harder to stop you if we didn't want you to draw the Master Sword?" Eroraf asked.

_'You will not live to touch the Master Sword. Understand that well,'_

Link thought back to his dream about the Master Sword. "What? Is your intent to kill me with the Master Sword?"

Nid chuckled. "No, why would we need the Master Sword to kill you? Do you know why this Temple was originally built?"

Link's eyes widened as he realized the truth.

_'That temple was built centuries ago for a single purpose: to provide a sanctuary for the Triforce.'_

They planned to sacrifice him to get to the Triforce.

"I can see by your expression that you know the truth for yourself now," Uryan said. "So, the only way to save Zelda is to give in to us. If you don't you will die anyway and Zelda with you."

Link glanced up to Zelda, still unconscious from whatever method they were using to sedate her. He was uneasy that the idea that he might lose to them and risk everything by fighting, but he'd be losing it all by relinquishing his duty over to evil. "The chaos you three have started will end tonight," Link said, affirming his defiance with a stance for battle.

As soon as they heard Link's answer, The Fused Shadow began to gain markings on it that were shinning blue. Suddenly, on Nid and Eroraf, ethereal forms of the Fused Shadow formed around their heads.

"You have no chance to win," Uryan said. Immediately after that, he lunged forward at Link with incredible speed. As he closed the distance, a golden trident formed from thin air in his hands and he thrust it at Link. Link ducked from the thrust and made one of his own. Uryan elegantly slid away from the point of the blade. Behind Uryan, charged Eroraf, wielding his sword, only now, it was also a golden color. He swung it horizontally at Link, but Link blocked it with his shield and swung back, but missing him barely. Proceeding after Eroraf, was Nid, with his fists surrounded by a golden aura. He launched a punch, but Link dodged it and hit him with his shield, knocking him back.

Uryan, not wanting to give Link a second, quickly launched another attack, swinging the Trident at Link's legs. Link jumped to avoid it, only to be met with Eroraf, already in full-swing with his blade. Link managed to defend with his shield, but he fell back from the force of the blow. As soon as Link hit the ground on his back, Nid jumped above Link, preparing to hammer him down with his shinning fists. Just as he was going to deliver the punch, Link pushed himself up from the ground, spinning his sword as he recovered to his feet. The surprise attack caught Nid off-guard, and he was sent flying from the hit.

Eroraf again attacked Link, thrusting his sword at him. Link brushed away the attack with his shield and thrust his sword at Eroraf. Eroraf dodged the point, but not without it grazing his arm. From behind him, Uryan suddenly hit Link with his trident, knocking him to the floor. As he rolled onto his back, he saw that he was lying beside Anodro's decomposing corpse.

_~~~"So, Anodro, how does it feel?" taunted Link._

_Anodro struggled to turn himself around to lie on his back._

_"…Curse you… Link…" he mumbled._

_Link snorted at his curse._

_"You along with this whole cursed land will pay a great price that…you'll regret… My gods will…make…sure…of…"~~~_

Eroraf tried to stab Link while he was still down, but Link rolled away from him, dodging the deathly move. He got back to his feet and prepared to fight once more. Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf stood together, standing at ready.

"You can't keep playing defense forever," started Uryan, "You can't keep this up. Your loss will only be made worse if you continue to hold on to this hope you imagine still exists."

_'Remember this: As long as you can fight, there's always a chance that you can win. If you give up, there is no chance of winning.'_

Link smirked. "It's strange, that my enemy could have given me sound battlefield advice."

"What do you mean?" Uryan asked sounding slightly confused at Link's lightheartedness.

"When you were still disguised as Auru, you told me that victory was always possible as long as I still could fight. I find it funny that you are telling me to give up now, even though these were your own words." Link explained.

Uryan chuckled behind the Fused Shadow. "Oh, when I said that." Uryan reaffirmed his fighting position. "This is true. Since you hold to those words, prove to me that there is still hope for you."

_'Do not be afraid, Chosen Hero.'_

Uryan charged at Link, preparing to thrust his trident into him. Link jumped at Uryan from where he stood, preparing to bring his sword down on him. When they both were in range, Uryan pushed his trident at Link, as Link swung his sword down at Uryan. The Master Sword suddenly shone as it went through the air, and then it met with Uryan's trident. The Master Sword cleaved through the magic-borne lance and into Uryan himself. Uryan flew back and fell onto the ground, bearing a deep and bleeding wound on his body. Link stood at ready, waiting to see what they would do next.

The Fused Shadow suddenly grew a dark aura around it. Uryan lifted off the ground and began levitating. The aura from the Fused Shadow grew, engulfing all of Uryan. Suddenly, Uryan let out terrifying screams as a faint golden light shone through the darkness. The light grew brighter until it suddenly flashed and then receded into the darkness. Uryan landed on the ground again, but his figure was still shrouded by the aura. After a bit of time, it receded, revealing that he had morphed into a being that looked similar to the Silhouettes, but with texture. Markings ran all through his body, glowing blue. In addition, the Fused Shadow melded with his body, making it to be his head. Suddenly, Nid and Eroraf underwent the same change, only the process was much quicker. Their heads were concealed by a darkness that was shaped like the Fused Shadow.

**_"This is it for you,"_** Uryan spoke in a demented tone. He suddenly formed a blue orb of energy and tossed it at Link. He dodged it with relative ease, only to see Eroraf following up Uryan's attack, swinging his sword at Link. Link parried it with the Master Sword and slashed him across the chest. Eroraf stumbled back, holding his wound him pain. Just then, Nid appeared behind Link and hit him in the back with his palm, sending him flying forward. The force of the blow was great enough for Link to drop the Master Sword. Nid walked to the shinning blade and picked it up with his hands, only to drop it, grunting in pain. Link suddenly was brought through the air by an unknown force and was placed in a space in front of Zelda. She was still in a serene state of sleep. Link's heart began to race as he hung in the air, helpless to stop them. The Master Sword was lifted with the same force that brought him into the air, and was positioned in front of him, with the blade pointed at him.

Suddenly, the blade zoomed in at Link and stabbed him in the heart. The last thing he saw was a small tear fall down Zelda's face as his vision went dark.


	71. Chapter 66: Blood Price

**Chapter 66: Blood Price**

~~~Mikau and the Patriarch stood amidst the icy fields of Northern Hyrule. The Patriarch held his ethereal axe at ready as Mikau stood poised to fight also.

"Will you mimic the Bulblins even to defeat me?" Mikau asked.

"The question is," the Patriarch spoke behind his icy iron mask, "Do you know how to defeat one?" Without warning, he launched from the ground, holding his axe above him as he ascended over Mikau. Mikau watched as he calculated his next move. He vaguely recognized the move from Link's fight with the former King Bulblin. The Patriarch fell down upon him, preparing to crash his axe on top of Mikau. Mikau dodged out of the way just before the Patriarch made his swing. The axe sunk into the frozen ground as the Patriarch landed. Mikau took advantage of his momentary weakness and slashed his side with his fins. The Patriarch stumbled back as he pulled free his axe, grunting at the wound. He faced Mikau for a few seconds as he gathered his bearings. Suddenly, he began to madly brandish his axe, yelling as he charged Mikau. Mikau could hear the sudden frustration and anxiety in the Patriarch's voice. It was startlingly different from the calm and confident tone he had moments ago. Mikau backed away as the Patriarch came closer, wildly swinging his axe. As the Patriarch came within range of hitting Mikau, Mikau suddenly launched his fins at the Patriarch. They went through the deadly barrage of swings and hit the Patriarch, throwing him off his feet. The Patriarch hit the ground, dropping his axe.

"Something's…wrong…" he muttered as he lay on the iced ground. He touched one of his wounds with his hands and then brought it to his face. He stared through the mask at his bloody hand. "Has Grandfather…fallen?"

Mikau cautiously approached the fallen foe. "Will you admit defeat?"

The Patriarch lay silent for a few moments. "I never would have thought that we'd lose… It seems that we can't escape out fate once we've engaged it…" He stood up suddenly, grunting as he felt the pains of his wounds.

Mikau stepped back, preparing to continue fighting.

"Don't fret any longer. I know when I must cease to fight," the Patriarch assured him. He raised his hand in front of him and everything suddenly went dark. "Hyrule has gained its fate just as we have met with ours." The darkness fled as they reappeared at the battle on Hyrule Castle. Mikau was surprised that everything was so dark, in addition to the pouring rain, compared to the bright and twisted light that filled the air prior to their departure. The fight still raged on around them, but it was considerable less vigorous than when it first started.

"What are you going to do now, since you are giving up?" Mikau asked, still keeping up his guard, lest he'd be taken by surprise.

"I've just about used up all the power I can spare fighting you and sustaining my wounds. I'm of no use to my tribe anymore," he said as he began walking toward Mikau.

Mikau put up his fins to prepare to defend himself. "Are you still going to fight?" he asked, losing patience with him.

"Kill me," the Patriarch said frankly. He suddenly charged Mikau with a surprising amount of speed. Mikau stepped back as the Patriarch advanced. He did not know what to do, especially since he had never killed an enemy that had lost his will.

"Hurry! Kill me or die!" shouted the Patriarch as an aura began to form around him.

Mikau suddenly resolved in himself to down the Patriarch. He lunged forward at him and swung his fin at him. He slashed right through his neck, decapitating his head. The Patriarch's body ran forward an extra few steps before it fell to the ground in a sloppy manner. Mikau sighed as he looked at his fallen foe. He always dreamed of an adventurous journey with plenty of wonders and sights and challenges, but he never would have imagined that he'd witness so much terror, pain, and suffering. All he knew he could do is fight to his best and wait for Link to take care of the rest. The peace waiting for them had to come with a cost; he knew that well. Though he realized all of that, he couldn't help but pity his enemy, especially since he knows that there are those who do not want any of this either, among them.

The General, the Village Chief of Kakariko Village, Dakure the stand-in leader of the Gorons, King Bulblin, and King Zora all stood together on the fortifications of Hyrule Castle's main body. The fighting had finally ended in a rather abrupt surrender by the two remaining Patriarchs of the Ranul Tribe. All the warriors of the Ranul were being held in the Battle Yard of the Castle by the Castle Guard, with the aid of soldiers from the Goron Tribe, Zora Tribe, Sheikah Tribe, and the Bulblin Army. Other soldiers were busy cleaning up the Castle, gathering the bodies of the fallen and any weapons dropped.

"At long last," said the General, "The fighting is finally done with."

"Not yet," rebutted King Bulblin, "The swordsman still has his fight with the three sorcerers."

The Village Chief turned to King Bulblin. "I am confident that he will win. He has proven that he is willing to carry out the calling of the Hero."

"And neither do I doubt," the King Bulblin affirmed, "In the times that I've crossed blades with him, he fought with a courage that made everything else meaningless in to the fight. He is not one that can be bested so easily by the likes of those men."

King Zora scanned the despondent environment of Hyrule Castle with narrow eyes. "So many of our children have fallen here," he said with a woeful voice.

"It is certain that our fight has come with a deep price," Dakure chimed in, "But our brothers fought willingly, knowing that death may be their tribute for peace."

"What will become of the Ranul?" asked the Village Chief.

"They will be held in prisoner camps until further action is declared," spoke the General. The General looked around the area as if he was looking for something. "Does anyone know where His Majesty is?" he asked, worried about the King's absence.

"Let us go search for him!" Dakure said, as they began to move.

They ran along the outside of the upper corridors of the Castle, heading for the Throne Room. They passed through throngs of the dead, both former enemy and friend. Soldiers from all the tribes were working to clear the Castle of the bodies, putting them on carts to move out of the Castle. The powerful rain that fell upon them did the job of washing away the blood that would have stained the stones of the Castle red. They eventually arrived at a door that led into the Castle. Once inside, they started down the hallway to the stairs that led to the top level of the Castle. There were people in the Castle that took refuge in the halls, sitting on the floors along the hallway. They seemed to be less frightened by their situation than they should have been; most likely news of the Ranul's surrender reached them. Some of them seemed uncomfortable at the sight of King Bulblin, since his kind had long terrorized the citizens of Hyrule before this day.

After walking most of the hallways reach, they turned onto the steps they sought and continued upward. They reached a set of doors that led to the outside staircase to the Throne Room. When they opened the door, the wind and rain poured into the doors. They didn't bother shutting close the doors as they continued up the staircase. When they reached the top, they saw the Throne Room along with a terrible sight.

"No!" The General ran as fast as he could until he reached the lifeless body of the King of Hyrule. He knelt near it and stared in grief at his fallen King. As he looked around the Throne Room for anyone else, he saw another body that added to his sorrow: Viscen.

"King Hyrule…" said King Zora, almost in a whisper.

The General approached Viscen's body. He was surprised to find a smirk fixed on his face. He knew not why he smiled, but it was sure that he and the King had fallen to the Supreme Patriarch. According to the remaining Patriarch's though, the Supreme Patriarch had met with his fate in some manner, but there had yet to be a report about it at the Castle. If he was killed, it occurred somewhere outside of the Castle.

Lighting flashed brilliantly as they all stood silently in the midst of the grave scene.

Link's consciousness suddenly returned to him as his eyes suddenly forced themselves open. It seemed as if he was floating in a strange realm of nothing but light. He touched his chest, expecting to feel the blade of the Master Sword impaling his chest, but, to his surprise, it wasn't there. He began to wonder if he was actually dead. He looked around; searching for anything other than the endless light that filled the space he was in.

_"Hero…"_

Link frantically searched around, hoping to find the source of the voice he heard. _"Is anyone there?"_

_"Fear not thy fate. Thou will yet live."_

_"I'm not dead then?"_ Link asked, still attempting to locate the voice's master. It sounded like a woman's voice, but he had no idea who it could be, or where he was.

_"Yea. The Master Sword cannot strike down its Master. Only the evil it has been sent to cast aside, can it destroy."_

_"Then what will become of me?"_ Link asked, still wanting to know what was happening to him.

_"Thou must finish thy fight. Let courage reside in thee and the battle will be won."_

As soon as the voice finished, the light that filled the space faded immediately; Link's consciousness with it.

Zelda opened her eyes to find herself lying on the ground. She realized that tears were running down her face while she was unconscious. She wiped her eyes and looked around her, only to be immensely surprised. The last thing she remembered was seeing Link fight Dark Link in the Temple of Time, but now, she was in a strange otherworldly place. The sky was filled with majestic and fierce columns of clouds that flew over her head swiftly. A golden light illuminated the sky and everything around her. In the distance, there were floating land masses that seemed not to reach below. The land was desolate; nothing but rock constituted these chunks of levitating land masses. She looked behind her, to see a startling sight that she never thought she'd see in her life: the Triforce.

It was fixed just above the ground at the top of a rising hill that led to it from her position. It emanated a golden light that appeared to be the ultimate light source. Whatever occurred while she was unconscious, it seemed that she was somehow in the Sacred Realm, the place of legend that her enemies had been fighting to reach. As she looked around, she suddenly saw a figure lying on the ground near the Triforce. Finding the strength in her legs, she stood up and made her way up the hill to investigate what it was. As she got closer and closer, she suddenly realized who lay there.

"Link!" She moved faster to reach him. She reached him and got to her knees to see if he was alive. She touched his chest to see if he was breathing, but nothing was giving any sign that he lived. His eyes were closed and his body was cold as if it was lying in icy until that time. She lied on his body and began to cry, gripping his tunic.

_~~~ Without any warning, she suddenly fell into him and burrowed her face into him. She wailed deeply as she clung to him. "Does it really have to happen this way?" she said through her weeping. "Do you really have to die for us to live?"_

_"Zelda," Link started to say, "Whatever happens, you need to understand that it's for the best," Link looked out to Hyrule Castle. "The Goddesses are with us,"~~~_

Deep inside, she was prepared to face this moment, but she didn't want to believe that it would become a reality. How could the Goddesses' Chosen Hero be thrown away like that? She did not want to resign to that belief. She felt a lingering anger at the Goddesses for letting Link die like this.

**"Don't cry; you'll be with him soon."**

Startled, Zelda quickly looked up to see a frightening sight.


	72. Chapter 67: The Fallen Ones

**Chapter 67: The Fallen Ones**

~~~As Zelda slowly stood to her feet in fear of what her eyes perceived, a sinister figure slowly approached her and Link, who lied at her feet. It was almost pitch black and it bore six arms jutting out of a central point around its shoulders. Blue markings ran all through the surface of its form and two horns shot from its head. The aura that surrounded it was fearsome. It was thick enough to almost have a solid form.

Zelda stepped back as the creature came closer; she unsheathed a dagger from her gauntlet in the vain hope of protecting herself. As the creature advanced, he suddenly stopped, looking down to Link's body.

**"There was never any hope for him,"** it spoke as if it had three voices, **"His fate was death as ours is the Triforce."**

"Are you --?"

**"Yes, we are. We are Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf united into one form; Focoputere,"** it said with a terrifying grin. **"And though, as great is our power is it is not complete without the power of the Triforce."** It stepped over Link's body and continued forward to Zelda and the Triforce. **"You would have at least been spared death if not for your "Hero's" stubbornness, but you will die here along with him."**

"No she will not."

Focoputere turned around quickly only to be taken aback by a sudden strike from the Master Sword. It was thrown aside by the powerful blow. Quickly recollecting itself, it looked up to see what happened and was furthermore surprised. Link stood before him, bearing the Master Sword. His countenance was nearly godlike. A white light completely engulfed him and the Sword; the light almost rivaled the light that the Triforce emitted.

Focoputere stood to its feet and its aura suddenly flared, growing larger as if it was enraged. **"How do you still live? We killed you with your own blade!"** it shouted in a furious fit.

_"The Sacred Blade shall not kill that which does not aspire to evil,"_ spoke a loud and thunderous voice. Behind Link, four forms made of light began to appear. One was like a goat, another as a moth, another as a snake, and the last like an ape. They levitated behind Link with intense light that was just as great as Link's own aura. _"Though thou were successful in gaining entry into the Sacred Realm, thou shall not accomplish thy goal. The Chosen Hero of the Goddesses hast won this fight,"_ all of them said at once.

Focoputere grimaced at the words of the Light Spirits. **"Our power is far greater than yours can ever hope to be! It was your weaknesses that have allowed your people to come this close to their own destruction and we shall disprove your powers now and forevermore!"** it yelled; its aura increasing in intensity. Without warning, it leapt from where it stood and flew towards the Triforce, reaching its hands out to touch it. Before he got within the threshold, a barrier suddenly manifested, impeding its passage beyond where Zelda stood. It withdrew from the barrier and landed on the ground. **"What manner of trickery is this?"** asked it, growing more and more frustrated at his increasingly unfortunate situation.

_"Chosen Hero,"_ the Light Spirits began, _"As long as thou livest, this evil shall not harm your cherished one, neither will it touch the Triforce."_

Link nodded to them. "Thank you," he said with a grateful smile. He then looked forward to Focoputere, changing his smile to a hardened frown. "Once and for all, you three will meet your endings here," Link said as he positioned his shield and the Master Sword for battle.

**"As many times as you try, the ending will be the same: you will die,"** Focoputere rebutted Link, forming six ethereal swords of a golden hue in each of its six hands.

In the blink of an eye, the two opposing forces crossed swords, creating an explosion of force that cracked the ground and repelled some of the passing clouds. All six of Focoputere's swords pushed against the shining Master Sword, contesting for superiority. After a short length of a stalemate, Focoputere removed one of its swords and attempted to stab Link. Before he could make the thrust, Link blocked it with his shield and then he spun around to its side and tried to swing at him using the momentum of the spin, but his attempt was stopped by a quick reaction from Focoputere, blocking the Master Sword with another one of his swords.

Link drew away from Focoputere to recover from the skirmish. With six arms, it was going to be a challenge to break through its defense. Link raised the Master Sword over his head and brought it downward at lightning speed. The swing created an intense wave of light energy that closed in on Focoputere. Standing its ground, it moved one of its six arms in a pattern and created a ghostly shield. The light wave crashed into the shield, but as strong as it was, the shield eventually broke, making contacted with Focoputere and throwing him back. It landed on its feet, but it grunted in pain at the attack.

Before Focoputere could regain its composure again, Link speedily closed the distance between the two and thrust his Sword at it. The edge of the Master Sword grazed one of its arms as it dodged the point of the attack, and then it countered with an attack of its own, slashing Link's side. Link stumbled away as he grabbed his side.

**"You have definitely grown stronger somehow,"** Focoputere began, **"You are not one to be taken lightly."**

Link managed to recover from his lightly bleeding wound and took stance to fight. Focoputere stood at ready also, but neither of them moved; both watched each other, waiting for one or the other to make the first move.

**"What is staying your hand?"** Focoputere asked. **"You were attacking with so much ferocity beforehand. Are you losing heart that easily?"**

Link did not give a reply; he merely watched with intense eyes. Focoputere smirked suddenly and then it quickly closed in on him. It struck with one sword as Link blocked it with his. Almost immediately after, all six of his arms began a merciless barrage; each arm moved faster than one's eye could keep up with. Link struggled to keep his defense up against the sudden offensive. He began to back away from Focoputere as the salvo intensified. Every few strikes Focoputere made graze or cut Link in various places. Suddenly, Link leaped back from Focoputere and posted up.

Not willing to give him time to regroup, Focoputere closed the distance on him once again. Before it swung any of its swords, Link suddenly disappeared from his position. Focoputere turned around quickly to locate Link, but he was not there either. Almost like a sudden meteor, Link came down from above upon Focoputere, deeply slashing him with his sword. Focoputere fell off his feet and hit the ground, bearing a glowing wound that spanned from the top of his head down his body. Link waited quietly to see what it would do next.

After a few moments, Focoputere began to stand to his feet, though not without trouble. As its feet regained balance, its darkened aura began to change color to a haunting golden hue.

**"We cannot lose our right to power…"** The golden aura began to encompass Focoputere's weathered body. As the aura completely covered it, its figure began changing. Its body began to morph into a large creature with seven appendages arranged in a fashion that was similar to how an arachnid would look. The aura receded as black and dark green markings formed on it, extending from its body to all of its appendages. It stood upon the desolate ground on all of its limbs and roared loudly. Focoputere stood much taller – even on all of its limbs – than Link.

Suddenly, it swiftly lifted one of its arms and tried to crush him with it. Link quickly lifted his shield and stopped the hand from crushing him. He fought strongly against the extreme force that Focoputere put Link under. As the struggle continued, Link suddenly recalled a dream he had that was exactly similar to what was now happening. He was standing before the Triforce in the dream when a creature similar to Focoputere rose from the clouds below and crushed him with its hand. As he connected the similarities, Link couldn't help but smirk at the fulfilling of another prophetic dream.

The white light that softly illuminated Link grew brighter as Link continued to fight against the growing force of Focoputere's pushing. Suddenly, Link's light aura flashed brilliantly and he forced his shield upward, throwing Focoputere's immense hands off of him. Link jumped into the air at Focoputere to strike him. As Link drew closer, Focoputere swung an arm at Link to bat him away, but Link slashed the arm, nearly cutting it in half. Indescribable roars echoed into the distance of the Sacred Realm as Focoputere took the detrimental hit. Link came down on its back and stabbed it with the Master Sword, causing it to shake vehemently. Link leaped from its back as it convulsed in pain and rage.

As Link landed, the seven-armed creature began to levitate into the air and it brought all of its hands, save the nearly severed one, together. Suddenly, a golden beam shot from the point of the hands down at Link. He began running swiftly, avoiding the fast moving ray that followed closely behind. As he ran, the beam persisted, not showing any signs of slowing down or weakening. Link began to run a course that would lead him directly under Focoputere. When he got there, he quickly pushed off the ground in an attempt to strike him before he was hit with the beam. As he came closer, the beam did also; Link was beginning to fear that he would not make it in time before the beam made contact with him. Right before the beam touched his arm, Link vertically swung at Focoputere, generating a wave of light that traveled up to Focoputere's arms. Link was unable to see if his attempt was successful, as the beam came down on him and threw him to the ground. For a moment, he felt an intense pressure that he feared would kill him, but then the beam dissipated, relieving him.

Link struggled to regain focus with his eyes as he fought to overcome the powerful shock of pain. He fixed his gaze on Focoputere, witnessing how it snarled and flailed about as it came to realize that it had lost two arms during the last exchange of blows. Link stood to his feet and brought up the Master Sword in preparation for another skirmish. He charged after Focoputere, preparing to leap again into the air after it. Focoputere suddenly swung and arm at Link, but he jumped off the ground, dodging the swing. Before he could react, another arm reached after him and grabbed him. Link felt his bones tingle in sharp pain as the pressure of the hold increased upon Link. He shook madly, trying to escape being crushed. Focoputere brought the hand he held Link with down and pushed his fist into the ground as he held him. The pressure increased even more as he did this. Link suddenly let out a desperate scream and his aura began to shine brightly. To Focoputere's surprise, Link suddenly brought up the Master Sword, slicing right through its hand. The blow ran almost all of the way up its arm, rendering it useless as it let go of Link.

Link recovered to his feet and assessed Focoputere. It had lost four of its seven arms at this point, meaning that it was near its limit. Suddenly, Focoputere bought in all of its arms and they wrapped around it. His golden hue began to change to a bright orange one and an aura appeared around it as it levitated. Link had no idea what was occurring, but he knew it had to be stopped. He jumped from the ground again and closed the distance between the two of them and struck the creature. To Link's surprise, the blow did very little and the aura that surrounded Focoputere let out a burst of energy that sent Link flying.

He landed on the ground and looked up again at Focoputere. Fear was beginning to enter his heart; the Master Sword did not even bother it. If the Master Sword was not working, then how was he expected to finish the fight? Suddenly, four lights appeared around Focoputere. They formed a perimeter around it as its orange glow reached an extreme point of intensity. Suddenly, all sound ceased and every light source, except for the fearsome light from Focoputere, dimmed. The aura that surrounded Focoputere collapsed onto it for a moment, and then suddenly a blazing explosion of energy occurred from it. Almost in an instant, the four floating lights became the embodiments of the Light Spirits as they created a barrier that encased Focoputere and the lethal explosion of power that was with it.

_"Thou hast fought well, Chosen Hero," the voices of the Light Spirits echoed. "This fight is now thine to finish."_

Both sound and light returned to normal as the rage of energy began to cease around Focoputere. The Light Spirits sat it down on the ground.

_"Deal the final blow."_

Link approached the limp Focoputere. He stopped in front of its horned head and prepared himself to lunge the Master Sword into it. Finally, after eight long days, Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf were finally about to meet their end. They had caused so much pain, sorrow, and death in so little time. As much mastery as they displayed over power, power had won its dominance over them in the end. Link briefly shuddered at the thought of losing himself to his own power.

With certainty, he pushed the shinning Blade into its head. A white light shone out of the wound and grew brighter until its head began to crack. Suddenly, it exploded in a white light, and four fragments of its head scattered about the ground around them. Its body turned completely black and it began to morph again, shrinking and shrinking. It decreased in size until it split into three separate figures of normal human size. Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf lied on the ground, but their bodies were turned black with faint blue markings running along their body. They were either unconscious or dead. As Link scanned around him, the fragments of Focoputere's head changed texture and color, revealing them to be four fragmented pieces of the Fused Shadow.

The Light Spirits descended to ground level. _"The fight is over, Chosen Hero. What lies before thee now are the tired souls of what was once thy enemy. They are not dead, but they, along with their people, shall remain here for all time for what they have done."_

Suddenly, the four fragments of the Fused Shadow lifted from the ground and levitated in front of Link.

_"These pieces of their evil instrument shall be parted unto various places, separate from each other; one will be placed within the deep of the forest, another in the fires of the mountain, the third under the waters of the North, and the last shall remain here with them as a reminder of their shame."_

Zelda approached Link, running to meet him. When she came within reach, she fell into him and they embraced. She buried her head in him, crying as she moved her face side to side. Unlike the last time before they entered the Temple of Time when her cries were of sadness, Link could hear that her cries this time were of joy.

After a moment, she looked up at him. "Forgive me Link," she began to say through her tear-choked voice, "I know I told you that I'd be strong for you…"

Link smiled softly. "And you were strong," he said, "When they were going to try to take the Triforce, I saw how you were ready to protect it with your dagger. No person who has lost the will to fight would have done such."

_"Chosen Hero,"_ the Light Spirits began, _"Return to Hyrule and do as we have commanded of thee and tell the people that they needn't fear more."_

A white light began to enrapture Link, Zelda, and the pieces of the Fused Shadow.

_"Chosen Hero, thou hast the gratitude of the Goddesses."_ The Light Spirits said at last before Zelda and Link disappeared from their sight.


	73. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

_"Knight of Hyrule._

_Honorably did I serve for my Kingdom._

_Though never did the morning come,_

_I fought hard, I fought brave,_

_Until the Goddesses carried me to my grave._

_---_

_Knight Viscen_

_Born a man, died a hero."_

~~~Link stood solemnly among the hundreds of gravestones that adorned the graveyard of Hyrule Castle as he continued to read and reread the epitaph of his dear friend. The black coat that he wore melded seamlessly with the mournful scene.

_~~~ Link stood there for a moment, looking at Viscen, unsure if he should go or stay. Viscen looked to Link and gave him a nod with a smirk. Link blinked in surprise and then returned the act._

_"Now, don't let me down, Hero," Viscen said in a voice of finality~~~_

That scene in which Link last parted with Viscen played again and again in his mind as he reminisced about the times he used to have with Viscen. Though Link had already come to terms with the loss of his first true friend, he still had a hard time letting it go. Not only did he die to one of the men that was at the center of all the woe they had went through, but he could no longer exact his revenge on him. On the night that Zelda and he returned to Castle Town from the Ruined Temple, they came across the body of the Supreme Patriarch as it lied in a muddled puddle of water in the midst of Hyrule field. It was obvious at that point that Uryan, Nid, Eroraf were conspiring against him to begin with, since they could have been the only ones to kill him.

Link looked up around him at the grandeur of Hyrule Castle in the orange light of the sunset. When he and Zelda returned to the Castle, he remembered the surprise he felt as he looked upon the hundreds of bodies that the surviving soldiers carted away from the Castle. In the span of a single night, almost thousands of people lost their lives because of the greed of a few people. It still amazed him that the Castle managed to return to its former glory in such a short time after so much carnage.

Since that night, however, much had changed for him and Hyrule. The biggest relief for him was that he was no longer needed as a Hero. The following morning after the battle, he laid the Master Sword to rest in the Temple of Time and the Spiritual Stones were returned to their original places about Hyrule. Though he was no longer Hero, he now had a new task ahead of him: he was now King of Hyrule. At first, he vehemently protested. All of the King's former confidants and even the soldiers begged him to take up the former King's position, but Link did not want to take responsibility over a whole Kingdom. The pressure was too much for him, especially since he had lived his life as a commoner for most of his life. What changed his mind was Zelda. Though it was never vocally spoken, he and she had come to a mutual understanding that the both of them would never part from each other. It was only after the failed attempts of the rest at convincing him to become King that she stepped forward and conveyed her love to him. It was that that convinced him to finally accept his given position.

As for the Ranul, the tribe that Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf belonged to, they now await an unknown fate as they sit within a prison compound erected in the very place that they once held camp at in the Desert. Construction for an immense prison had begun in the area of the compound where they will all be housed until a device is created that will send them from this world to another realm. This was done in honor of the command that the Light Spirits made to Link after his fated battle.

The Fused Shadow fragments were carried personally by Link and Zelda to the places that the Light Spirits commanded that they'd be placed: One in the Lost Woods under the watchful eye of the Great Deku Tree, another within the depths of Death Mountain, and the last one in the deep waters of Lord Jabu-Jabu's realm. Temples were being built to keep them hidden and well-kept from the hands of any who would one day again seek power at the cost of death.

The last significant change since that night was that there were now Sages. It had been hundreds of years since there had last been Sages instated into the Kingdom. Due to all of the new problems they faced after the final battle, they needed a new group of leadership to manage everything and see the commandments of the Light Spirits through. Sage of the Forest was Fado, Sage of Fire was Darmani, Sage of Water was Mikau, Sage of Shadow was Medi, Sage of Spirit was Rakam, and Sage of Light was the last surviving advisor of the former King, named Rauru. Zelda, the Seventh Sage, led them all.

Hundreds of gravestones for hundreds of lives lost. Link heart fell slightly every time he thought about it. Though saddened, he was not regretful or angry; he knew that this is how they all would have wanted to die as soldiers. Though he wore a different uniform than they did, all of them were his comrades. Hylian, Goron, Sheikah, and Zora fought for the peace that slowly crept its way back into everyday life in Hyrule. This graveyard was especially dedicated to all of those who died in that battle, not just Castle Guard.

"Link," said a soft voice that came from behind him.

Link turned around to see Queen Zelda, with her dress and white coat giving her a majestic countenance. She approached Link with what looked like letters in hand.

"Are you feeling well?" she asked in concern, since Link had visited the graveyard at least once per day for the past two weeks since that night.

"I'm doing fine," he replied in a sober tone, "I was just finishing my visit with them." He stood silent for a moment as he slowly looked from Viscen's gravestone up to the orange clouds in the sky. "I think I'm finally finished saying my farewells to them all," he said as he turned back to Zelda again.

"I received some letters from Darmani, Medi, and Mikau about how they are doing," she said with a soft smile.

"Are those the letters you're holding?" he asked.

Zelda nodded. "As I was coming to find you, the postman delivered to me them. Do you want to hear about how they are?"

Link nodded with a smirk.

Zelda and Link found a stone bench near a cobblestone side walk and sat on it.

"Well, I'll start with Darmani," she began, "He and the rest of the Goron Tribe has just finished restoring Goron City to how it was before the Civil War."

"That's good to hear," Link commented with relief.

"And they also have their Goron Trade Routes repaired too, so their economy is also as good as it used to be. Darmani says that being the Goron Leader is a lot of work, but everyone is working hard with him to help things move smoothly, so he's having a good time bonding with the rest of the tribe and getting things done too."

"If there's one thing about the Gorons is that they always work hard and with a smile," Link said. "I knew Darmani wouldn't have much trouble assuming leadership."

"Kakariko Village is also doing great as well. Though they still are as secretive as ever, it seems, from what Medi told me in this letter, that the people there are beginning to overcome their bitterness from that Conflict Sixteen Years Ago. She thinks them working together with the Castle Guard here helped them get over the hurt that they still were harboring."

"I'm glad to hear that," Link said, recalling the time when that Sheikah woman lashed out at him for being a Hylian.

"Also, the Village Chief has retired, giving Medi the new title of Village Chief. She and Iyuga are now ruling over the village together."

"Oh yeah, I forgot that she and Iyuga had gotten together," Link added.

"One sad bit of news though is that King Zora is dead."

"He is?" Link said with surprise, sitting up straighter.

"Yes, he died a few days after the battle. Apparently, he was already mortally ill when he entered the battle that night and all of the strain he put on himself proved to be more than he could handle."

"So now Mikau is the new King of the Zoras?" Link asked.

Zelda nodded. "He told me that despite the loss of his father, they are managing to get along well. The number of fish present in the river has slowly begun to increase since the river was frozen over, so their fish economy is starting to recover again, as their way of life."

"And how is Rakam doing?" Link inquired.

"He is in the Desert now overseeing the construction of the prison where the surviving Ranul will be held."

Link looked down. "I almost feel bad for having to do this to his own people, while he oversees it happen," he said with remorse.

"He says in his letter that though he is filled with sorrow that his people will meet their fate, he knows that it is his duty to abide by the commands of the Light Spirits and carry this out."

Link turned to Zelda and looked her straight into her eyes. They both stared at each other for a few moments.

"What is it?" Zelda finally asked, blushing slightly.

"Nothing," he answered as he looked up to the now pale golden clouds. "I'm just thankful that we can finally enjoy each other's company at leisure without any perilous pressures behind us."

Zelda smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. "We both deserve it after all we've been through."

"Let's work to keep things this way." Link said as he turned his gaze up to the height of the Castle. At last he had found peace.

**The End**


	74. Afterword

**Afterword**

~~~A year and ten months ago, I embarked on what would be the biggest literary undertaking of my life. I went into it knowing that it would not be a short and easy fiction to write, but nevertheless, I went on. I remember reading things from some people on the board advising not to do long fan fiction, since most people complete it, losing the resolve or heart to finish it.

Many times throughout my early months of writing the Fused Shadow, I felt as if I probably would end up quitting, not because I didn't have the resolve to finish it, but because I was beginning to feel as if it was a waste of time, since maybe one person, if that, bothered to read it. Still, I kept an optimistic outlook and went on, and it has paid off. Throughout my journey with this piece of work, I've learned so much about writing that I would have never discovered with a textbook or a teacher or class. I've also gained some valued friends along the way, constantly keeping me level-headed and on my toes with each chapter they read.

From the bottom of my heart, I truly thank every one of you that bothered even a little bit with letting me know how I was doing with this. A special "thank you" goes out to all of you who even read this novel-sized fiction all the way to the end. You have no idea how much I appreciate those of you who have.

With all that I've gained from writing this fan fiction, I plan to move ahead and write more fan fiction, even a sequel to this one which I hope to have running by the beginning of the summer. With the growing pressures of college and other things, I find it harder and harder to get the time to write, but I promise you that I'll be around for a while with more fan fiction to come.

I'll never forget what this fiction taught me and the people who read it. Thank you.

**~BEASTMASTERTOAD**


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